understandably

understandably — adverb

1. used to say that a feeling, reaction, or decision is normal and reasonable when

1.adverbC1
Definition

used to say that a feeling, reaction, or decision is normal and reasonable when you think about the situation; what you would expect to happen

Example

Understandably, Léa was reluctant to lend her car to someone she barely knew.

sentence-initial position for evaluative adverb

The residents were understandably nervous when a wildfire broke out near their homes.

mid-sentence: be + understandably + adjective

Common collocations
  • understandably + upset / worried / nervous / reluctant / cautious
  • be / feel / seem + understandably + [adjective]
  • Understandably, + [full clause]
Synonyms
  • naturally

    overlaps in meaning but is more common in spoken English and less formal

  • predictably

    emphasises that the outcome was expected in advance, not just reasonable after the fact

  • not surprisingly

    very similar; slightly more informal and more common in conversation

  • understandable

    adjective form; used in 'it is understandable that…' instead of the adverb

Antonyms
  • surprisingly

    opposite meaning — indicates the reaction goes against what you would expect

  • inexplicably

    opposite meaning — no reason can be found for the reaction

Grammar Patterns

Understandably, + [clause]

[Subject] + be + understandably + [adjective]

[Clause], understandably

Usage Note

Frequently appears at the start of a sentence (Understandably, ...) or after the verb 'be' or verbs of emotion (feel, seem, look). In this sense, understandably does NOT describe how an action is performed — it comments on the whole situation. Only this sense can appear before a comma at the start of a sentence. Distinguish from sense 2 (CLEARLY EXPLAINED), where understandably follows a verb of communication and describes clarity of expression.

Common Mistakes

He spoke understandably' (intending to mean 'it makes sense that he spoke').
Understandably, he spoke about the incident at the meeting.
When expressing that something is reasonable, use the sentence-adverb position, not after an action verb.
Understandably, she wrote the report' (intending to mean 'clearly').
She wrote the report clearly and understandably.
For describing clarity of expression, place understandably after the verb, not at sentence start with a comma.

2. in a way that is easy to understand; with clear structure or expression, so that

2.adverbC1
Definition

in a way that is easy to understand; with clear structure or expression, so that the meaning is not confusing

Example

The teacher explained the grammar points clearly and understandably, so even the beginners could follow.

manner adverb: verb + clearly and understandably

Mizuki wrote the instructions in a way that was simple and understandably organised.

Common collocations
  • clearly and understandably
  • explain / describe / present + (something) + understandably
  • understandably + organised / structured / laid out
Synonyms
  • clearly

    more common and less formal; can also mean 'obviously', which understandably does not

  • intelligibly

    more formal and less frequent; focuses on being able to be understood by the ear

  • coherently

    emphasises logical connections between ideas, not just clarity

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[Verb] + (clearly and) understandably

[Verb] + [object] + understandably

Usage Note

Always appears after the verb it modifies or after the object of the verb. In this sense, understandably cannot appear at the start of a sentence with a comma. It is often paired with 'clearly' (clearly and understandably). This sense is much less common than sense 1 (NOT SURPRISING) and is somewhat formal.

Common Mistakes

Understandably, the manual was written' (intending to praise clarity).
The manual was written clearly and understandably.
The manner sense follows the verb, not a sentence-initial comma position.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four words indicate that a situation or reaction is expected, but they differ in tone and use. 'Understandably' focuses on the listener's sympathy or empathy — you are saying the reaction is reasonable given the circumstances. 'Naturally' is more casual and suggests the outcome follows from human nature or common sense. 'Predictably' is more neutral and slightly more formal; it states that the outcome could have been foreseen, without necessarily asking the listener to agree it is reasonable. 'Not surprisingly' is the most informal option and works well in conversation. 'Of course' implies the outcome is so obvious it hardly needs stating, and can sound dismissive if used carelessly. For example: 'The neighbours were understandably concerned about the abandoned house' (invites sympathy) vs 'Of course the neighbours were concerned' (implies the concern was inevitable).

naturally ↗predictably ↗not surprisinglyof course ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • quite understandably
  • perfectly understandably
  • entirely understandably

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed by adding the adverb suffix '-ably' to 'understand', which comes from Old English 'understandan' ('to stand under, comprehend'). The suffix '-ably' turns the adjective 'understandable' into an adverb meaning 'in an understandable manner'. First recorded use of 'understandably' in this form dates from the early 1800s.