safely
gb/sˈeɪfli/ us/sˈeɪfli/
A2
English
~ 7700
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
property
1
without danger, injury, or damage
in a way where no one and nothing is hurt or damaged
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[something] arrives/returns/lands safely [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "in safely" or "with safely" (e.g., *"We arrived in safely"*). In English, "safely" is used directly after the verb: "We arrived safely."
Synonyms
unharmed (Focuses more on the final condition of not being hurt, rather than on the manner of doing something.)
|
securely (Often used about objects being firmly fixed or protected, but can sometimes overlap when nothing is at risk of damage.)
Antonyms
dangerously (Describes an action done with a high chance of harm or injury.)
Collocations
arrive safely
|land safely
|home safely
|safely back
|safely inside
|safely on the ground
Themes
daily life
|travel
|safety
|daily_life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Text me when you get home safely.
- The plane landed safely after the storm passed.
- All the children were found safely inside the building.
- Thankfully, the hikers made it back safely before dark.
- The documents are now stored safely in the fireproof box.
Learner examples
- We arrived safely at the hotel.
- The bus reached the city safely.
- The baby slept safely in her bed.
- He kept his money safely in his bag.
- They returned safely from their trip.
adverb
A2
property
2
in a careful, risk‑avoiding way
in a careful way that follows rules so nobody gets hurt
Usage pattern:
to [verb] [something] safely
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"drive in safe"* or *"use it with safe"*. Use the adverb: "drive safely", "use it safely" instead of the adjective "safe".
Synonyms
carefully (Broader and can mean paying attention in general; "safely" specifically highlights avoiding harm or danger.)
|
responsibly (Adds an idea of moral or legal duty, not just following safety rules.)
Antonyms
recklessly (Emphasizes not caring about safety or possible harm while doing something.)
Collocations
drive safely
|use safely
|handle safely
|store safely
|operate safely
|dispose of safely
Themes
daily life
|transport
|health
|safety
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please drive safely, especially in the rain.
- Always use this chemical safely and follow the instructions on the label.
- Make sure the machine is turned off so you can clean it safely.
- The medicine can be safely taken with food.
- Batteries must be disposed of safely to protect the environment.
Learner examples
- Please drive safely to school.
- Use this knife safely in the kitchen.
- He does not know how to use the tool safely.
- You must store this product safely away from children.
- Follow the steps so you can work safely.
adverb
B2
property
3
with high certainty and low risk
used to say you are very sure something is true or will not fail
Usage pattern:
can safely say/assume [clause]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only "surely" or "I am sure" where English often uses the set phrase "can safely say/assume" to stress that there is almost no risk in saying or assuming something.
Synonyms
confidently (Focuses more on the speaker's feeling of confidence, not specifically on low risk of being wrong.)
|
surely (Expresses certainty, but is less tied to the idea of there being no serious risk or consequence.)
Antonyms
riskily (Doing or saying something with a high chance of failure or negative results.)
Collocations
can safely say
|can safely assume
|safely ignore
|safely conclude
|safely within the limit
|safely under the limit
Themes
thinking
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We can safely say that the project was a success.
- You can safely assume the store will be busy on Saturday.
- These outdated files can be safely deleted.
- The team is now safely within the top four in the league.
- That rumor can be safely ignored; it is clearly false.
Learner examples
- We can safely say the exam is over now.
- You can safely assume he will be late.
- This file is old, so you can safely delete it.
- The car is safely under the speed limit.
- You can safely ignore that email; it is spam.
Grammar
Dictionary form
safely
IPA
GB/sˈeɪfli/
US/sˈeɪfli/
Syllables & stress
safely (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (safely)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: safely
- Plural: safelies
Word family
Expressions
can safely say
1/kən sˈeɪfli sˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
to say something with high certainty
to say something when you are very sure it is true and there is almost no risk you are wrong
Examples
- I can safely say this is the best meal I've ever had.
- We can safely say that online sales will be higher this year.
- After the test results, the doctor could safely say that she was healthy.
safely assume
1/sˈeɪfli əsˈum/
fixed phrase
assume with very low risk of error
to think something is true without proof because there is almost no risk that you are wrong
Examples
- We can safely assume that traffic will be bad on Friday evening.
- You can safely assume the meeting will start late.
- If no one replies, we can safely assume they agree.