What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
fluently
Example
She speaks French fluently. [fluently: adverb]
Example
He wrote the essay fluently, with no grammatical errors. [fluently: adverb]
smoothly
Example
The car drove smoothly on the newly paved road. [smoothly: adverb]
Example
The project went smoothly, with no delays or issues. [smoothly: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Smoothly is more commonly used than fluently in everyday language. Smoothly is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while fluently is more specific to language proficiency.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between fluently and smoothly?
Both fluently and smoothly can be used in formal and informal contexts, but fluently may be more formal due to its association with language proficiency.