# cheekily

**Pronunciation:** ˈtʃiːkɪli · CHEE-ki-lee

**CEFR level:** B2

**Part of speech:** adverb

## Meaning

In a way that shows a lack of respect or impudence, often in a playful or amusing manner.

## Examples

- She cheekily suggested that her boss should take a long vacation.
- The toddler grinned cheekily after hiding the car keys.
- He cheekily replied that he was far too busy to help with the dishes.

## Synonyms

- boldly — Shows confidence without necessarily being playful.
- impudently — More formal and implies a stronger lack of respect.
- pertly — Describes a lively, slightly disrespectful manner.
- impertinently — Emphasizes rudeness rather than playfulness.

## Common patterns

- subject + cheekily + verb — Used to describe an action done with a lack of respect or impudence. — He cheekily asked for a raise on his first day.
- Cheekily, + sentence — Used at the start of a sentence to set the tone of the following action. — Cheekily, she winked at the camera.

## Collocations

- grin cheekily — The child grinned cheekily when caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
- smile cheekily — She smiled cheekily at her friend after winning the game.
- reply cheekily — He replied cheekily to the teacher's question.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/cheekily

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