as in frantically
in a confused and reckless manner
a moth kept banging hectically against the screen, seeking the light on the other side
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Recent Examples of hectically
When Grace first awakens on his ship, the film cuts hectically around, above, and below him, as if to approximate his mental and physical disorientation.
—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Tanner plunges into these ostentatiously autobiographical roles, heedlessly, hectically and without a psychiatric net.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
The old Helena would have mumbled something under her breath, hectically pressed the call button a few more times, and fled the situation as quickly as possible.
—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Tanner plunges into these ostentatiously autobiographical roles, heedlessly, hectically and without a psychiatric net.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
The old Helena would have mumbled something under her breath, hectically pressed the call button a few more times, and fled the situation as quickly as possible.
—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectically
Adverb
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The Melodies of the Danube itinerary connects Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and the Wachau Valley coherently rather than frantically.
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Mount Baldy made headlines in 2013 when a 6-year-old boy was suddenly swallowed by the dune, prompting rescues to frantically dig him out.
Adverb
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Advertisement But the recent surge of new groups has confused CEOs, donors, and other key constituencies by pursuing often wildly divergent messages and contradictory agendas, inadvertently establishing circular firing squads, undermining unity, and siphoning resources from credible expert voices.
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Instead of mixing the margarita in a cocktail shaker, simply add the ingredients to a blender to blitz them into a dilution-free watermelon-tequila cocktail that’s wildly refreshing.
Cite this Entry
“Hectically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectically. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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