# carefully

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈkɛːf(ə)li/ · frequency rank #3,214

## Definitions
1. Sorrowfully.
2. With care; attentively, circumspectly.
3. Conscientiously, painstakingly, fastidiously, meticulously

## Etymology
From Middle English carfulli, carefulliche, from Old English carfullīċe, ċearfullīċe (“carefully, diligently”), equivalent to careful + -ly.

## Easily confused with
- **careful** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/careful-vs-carefully)

## Common misspellings (12)
`acrefully`, `caerfully`, `careffully`, `carefluly`, `carefullyy`, `carefuly`, `carefulyl`, `careuflly`, `carfeully`, `carrefully`, `ccarefully`, `craefully`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/carefully