achingly

adverb

ach·​ing·​ly ˈā-kiŋ-lē 

1

: in an aching manner

achingly sad songs

2

: extremely, exceedingly

achingly complicated

Synonyms of achingly

• extremely
• incredibly
• very
• terribly
• highly
• too
• so
• damned
• damn
• desperately
• badly
• really
• intensely
• severely
• far
• seriously
• wildly

Examples of achingly in a Sentence

an achingly funny movie

Recent Examples on the Web

The show sees youth as achingly desirable and also a miserable burden, and at any moment, either of those options couldn’t feel more true. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

La Gradiva’s seamless verisimilitude is a testament both to Atlan’s authority behind the camera and to the extensive research that went into the script — a portrait of adolescence ringing at once bracingly of the moment and achingly timeless. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026

Cruz achingly creates a portrayal of a woman, if not quite under the influence, who isn’t sure of her place anymore. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026

The Williams sisters came achingly close to defeating Maya Joint and Chan Hao-ching but lost a match-deciding tiebreak from 5-0 up. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

aching entry 1 + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for achingly

• breathtakingly
• painstakingly