Extraordinary vs. Extraordinarily — What's the Difference?

Extraordinary is an adjective used to describe things, people, or situations that stand out from the ordinary due to their exceptional nature, uniqueness, or remarkable qualities. For instance, an extraordinary discovery might change the way we understand history. Extraordinarily, the adverb form of extraordinary, is used to describe the extent or manner in which an action is performed, often highlighting an exceptional degree or way something is done, such as performing extraordinarily well in a test.

Extraordinary directly qualifies nouns, indicating that they possess unusual characteristics, extraordinarily qualifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, enhancing the description of an action or state. This distinction affects how they are used in sentences: one describes what is, and the other describes how.

The impact of using extraordinary versus extraordinarily can significantly alter the meaning of a sentence. Calling a discovery extraordinary focuses on the discovery's nature, whereas saying a discovery was made extraordinarily quickly emphasizes the speed of the discovery process.

Extraordinary often adds a sense of wonder or admiration to the subjects it describes, making them stand out as exceptional. Extraordinarily, on the other hand, adds depth to the understanding of how actions are undertaken or the degree to which qualities are exhibited.

Choosing between extraordinary and extraordinarily depends on what the speaker wants to emphasize: the inherent qualities of a noun or the manner/degree of an action or characteristic. This choice can subtly change the message's focus, from the nature of the subject to the way something is executed or perceived.