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
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
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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And the mistakes, such as frantically learning — and failing — at how to build a river.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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Free up your team members to actually look at each other and debate ideas instead of frantically taking notes.—
David Henkin,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Song Sung Blue is very much a two-hander, exploring the real-life romantic and professional pairing of Mike and Claire Sardina (Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson), entertainers who teamed up to form the wildly popular Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning and Thunder.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
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Les Baux-de-Provence Built into a rocky outcropping that's part of the Alpilles mountain chain, Les Baux-de-Provence has a rugged and wildly impressive setting.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hectically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectically. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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