Word: hotly (adverb)

Associations

The word "hotly" means doing something with strong emotion, intensity, or passion. It often describes actions like arguing, debating, or competing where feelings are very strong.

• He was hotly debating the issue. (He argued with strong feelings.)
• The teams competed hotly for the championship. (They competed with great intensity.)
• She was hotly pursued by many suitors. (Many people chased her eagerly.)

Synonym: "fiercely" is a well-known synonym. The difference is that "fiercely" often suggests aggression or violence, while "hotly" focuses more on strong emotion or passion without violence.

Substitution

Instead of "hotly," you can use:

• fiercely (stronger, more aggressive)
• passionately (more about strong feelings)
• intensely (more general, strong effort or feeling)

For example:

• They hotly debated → They fiercely debated (more aggressive)
• They hotly competed → They intensely competed (more about effort)

Deconstruction

"Hotly" comes from the adjective "hot" + the suffix "-ly" which turns adjectives into adverbs. "Hot" originally means high temperature, but here it means strong emotion or intensity. Adding "-ly" means "in a hot (intense) way."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where people might argue hotly? What feelings do they have?
• Have you ever felt hotly about something, like a sport or a topic? How did you show it?
• How is "hotly" different from just "loudly" or "quickly"? What does it add to the meaning?