Word Building
Suffixes That Build Adverbs
Learning the meanings of suffixes that build adverbs can help you determine the definitions of many words. For example, if the word clockwise is unfamiliar to you, but you know that wise is a suffix meaning "in the manner or way of," then you can determine that clockwise means "in the manner of [the hands of] a clock."
In this section you'll find suffixes that build adverbs listed with their meanings and examples of words that use each suffix. If you find any unfamiliar words among the samples, grab your dictionary and look up their meanings.
ling, long
(showing direction or condition)
Examples: headlong, encircling
ly
(in a specified manner)
Examples: brightly, bravely, quickly, hourly, daily, thirdly, doubly, centrally, abundantly
ward, wards
(toward, in the direction of)
Examples: backward, backwards, upwards, inward, etc.
wise
(in the manner or way of)
clockwise, counterclockwise, lengthwise, otherwise
clockwise, counterclockwise, lengthwise, otherwise