fluently
gb/flˈuəntli/ us/flˈuəntli/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B2
property
1
with strong language ability
with good, easy control of a language
Usage pattern:
speak/read/write [a language] fluently
Common mistake:
Use the adverb with verbs ("speak fluently"), not the adjective ("speak fluent").
Synonyms
proficiently (More formal; emphasizes skill level.)
|
with ease (Highlights the lack of difficulty.)
Antonyms
haltingly (With many pauses and stops.)
|
brokenly (With many errors and incomplete phrases.)
Collocations
speak fluently
|speak English fluently
|speak French fluently
|read fluently
|read aloud fluently
|write fluently
|communicate fluently
|converse fluently
|fluently bilingual
|fluently in [a language]
Themes
language_learning
|communication
|education
Examples
- After a year abroad, she could speak Spanish fluently.
- He reads English fluently but still finds writing difficult.
- They want staff who can communicate fluently in Mandarin.
Learner examples
- I can speak English fluently.
- She writes Spanish fluently.
adverb
C1
property
2
smoothly, without hesitation
smoothly and easily, with no pauses
Usage pattern:
[someone] [does something] fluently
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with "fluidly," which is more about physical movement or liquid-like motion.
Synonyms
smoothly (General; focuses on lack of roughness or interruption.)
|
effortlessly (Emphasizes that it seems easy.)
|
readily (Emphasizes quickness and ease in responding or doing.)
Antonyms
awkwardly (In an uncomfortable or unskilled way.)
|
stiffly (Without natural flow, especially in movement.)
Collocations
read fluently
|play fluently
|move fluently
|transition fluently
|perform fluently
|speak fluently
|respond fluently
|deliver [a speech] fluently
|switch fluently between [things]
|operate fluently
Themes
skills
|performance
|communication
Examples
- With practice, she plays the piece fluently from start to finish.
- The presenter moved fluently between topics and kept the audience engaged.
- After a few weeks, he could navigate the new software fluently.
Learner examples
- She reads fluently.
- He plays the song fluently.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fluently
IPA
GB/flˈuəntli/
US/flˈuəntli/
Syllables & stress
flu - ently (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (flu)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fluently
- Plural: fluentlies
Word family
Expressions
converse fluently (in [a language])
1/kənvˈɚs flˈuəntli ˈɪn ə lˈæŋɡwɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
formal
talk easily in a language
to have a conversation easily
Examples
- Within six months, she could converse fluently in Portuguese.
- He can converse fluently about art and history.
- They need someone who can converse fluently with international clients.
read fluently
1/ɹˈid flˈuəntli/
fixed phrase
read smoothly without stopping
to read smoothly and easily
Examples
- By the end of the year, most students can read fluently.
- He can read fluently but struggles to understand complex texts.
- She practiced every day until she could read the paragraph fluently.
speak [a language] fluently
1/spˈik ə lˈæŋɡwɪd͡ʒ flˈuəntli/
fixed phrase
speak a language with ease
to speak a language easily and well
Examples
- She speaks Italian fluently.
- Do you speak English fluently enough for this job?
- He speaks fluently when he’s relaxed.
write fluently
1/ɹˈaɪt flˈuəntli/
fixed phrase
write smoothly and naturally
to write easily and smoothly
Examples
- She can speak well, but she doesn’t yet write fluently.
- After the course, he began to write fluently about technical topics.
- Try free-writing for ten minutes to help you write more fluently.