# darkly

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈdɑːkli/ · frequency rank #29,989

## Definitions
1. With insufficient light for easy discernment or comprehension.
2. With a dark appearance.
3. In a manner which is not readily visible or noticeable; inconspicuously.
4. In a manner which retards or prevents discernment; clandestinely.
5. In a manner which is difficult to understand, or which retards or prevents understanding; incomprehensibly.
6. In a manner which tends to produce uncertainty or confusion; bewilderingly.
7. In a manner which produces an inward conviction of future misfortune; ominously.
8. In a morbid manner; morbidly, sinisterly.

## Etymology
From Middle English derkly, derkely, derkliche, derkeliche; equivalent to dark + -ly. Compare Old English deorclīċe, a parallel formation.

## Easily confused with
- **dorky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darkly-vs-dorky)
- **Darko** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darkly-vs-darko)
- **Darla** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darkly-vs-darla)
- **dearly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darkly-vs-dearly)
- **dark** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dark-vs-darkly)
- **Daly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/daly-vs-darkly)
- **daily** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/daily-vs-darkly)
- **Darcy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darcy-vs-darkly)
- **darby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darby-vs-darkly)
- **dally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dally-vs-darkly)
- **darker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darker-vs-darkly)
- **darken** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/darken-vs-darkly)

## Common misspellings (10)
`adrkly`, `dakrly`, `darkkly`, `darklly`, `darklyy`, `darkyl`, `darlky`, `darrkly`, `ddarkly`, `drakly`

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