Meanings
comparative more vilely · superlative most vilely
- In a vile manner, evilly, despicably.
We broke off diplomatic relations with Russia Ukraine is defending itself and will not give up its freedom, no matter what Moscow thinks[...] Russia vilely and suicidally attacked our state in the morning Just like fascist Germany did during the Second World War
2022 February 24, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 4:58 from the start, in Ukraine Special: Putin's Russia launches full-scale invasion, Channel 4 News - Terribly, awfully.
The chauffeur must, as it seemed to me, have been a novice or else have lost his nerve in this disturbance, for he drove vilely on the way to the station.
1913, Arthur Conan Doyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Poison Belt […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC
Origin
- Middle Englishvyly
- Englishvilely
From Middle English vyly, vileliche, fijlliche, villiche, equivalent to vile + -ly.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with vilely
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
vilely. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vilely
“vilely.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vilely. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vilely,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vilely.
Source: vilely on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.