bodily
adjective
bodi·ly
| \ ˈbä-də-lē
\
\
Definition of bodily
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: having a body : physical
2
: of or relating to the body
bodily comfort bodily organs
bodily
adverbDefinition of bodily (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: in the flesh
b
: in a manner that involves physically moving someone's body
The blast lifted him bodily into the air. Jerry Wexler called him a "parasite" and threw him bodily out of his office.— Jack Kroll
2
: as a whole : altogether
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Synonyms & Antonyms for bodily
Synonyms: Adjective
animal, carnal, corporal, corporeal, fleshly, material, physical, somatic
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of bodily in a Sentence
Adjective
The victim suffered serious bodily injury. the old man suffered from a number of bodily ailmentsAdverb
The blast lifted him bodily into the air. The house will have to be moved bodily to the new site.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Arrest records from Sunday showed a 24-year-old man was arrested Saturday by the CHP on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and two counts of driving under the influence causing great bodily harm. — Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Motorcyclist killed in suspected DUI crash in Fallbrook identified," 20 Aug. 2019 Julio Santiago, 60, of the 1600 block of East Central Road, was charged Aug. 9 with two counts of domestic battery/bodily harm at the same address. — chicagotribune.com, "3 men faces domestic battery charges following separate incidents: Arlington Heights police," 19 Aug. 2019 She was arrested on charges of impaired operation causing bodily harm and impaired operation of a vehicle with a blood alcohol level exceeding the legal limit and released, CTV reported. — Robert Gearty, Fox News, "Ontario neighborhood rocked by gas explosion after drunk driver crashed into home," 16 Aug. 2019 Assault causing actual bodily harm can give up to two years of imprisonment. — Maria Pasquini, PEOPLE.com, "A$AP Rocky Found Guilty of Assault in Sweden But Won't Face Additional Jail Time," 14 Aug. 2019 Level 4: Between 90 and 180 days in segregation for serious assaults that cause bodily harm to an offender or staff. — Ryan Faircloth, Twin Cities, "Minnesota prisons lengthen solitary stays; inmates sent to ‘the hole’ more than ever last year," 10 Aug. 2019 Cornelius Johnson, 20, faces multiple charges of inflicting bodily harm, kidnapping and eluding authorities, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. — Joe Mario Pedersen, orlandosentinel.com, "Florida man arrested after beating, kidnapping woman near Daytona Beach airport: report," 6 Aug. 2019 Claire VanSusteren, a spokeswoman for Book, said the senator did not receive threats of bodily harm, but she was threatened with political retaliation. — Skyler Swisher, sun-sentinel.com, "Broward lawmaker says no threat will stop her demand for investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s work-release agreement," 25 July 2019 Battery, as defined by Kansas Statute 21-5413, involves knowingly or recklessly causing bodily harm to another person. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Making Sense of the NFL’s Controversial Decision to Not Suspend Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill," 19 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
All writers want in some way to move their readers; taking claustrophobia in part as one’s subject allows you to move people bodily, physically, viscerally. — Tobias Carroll, Longreads, "‘The Underland Is a Deeply Human Realm’: Getting Down with Robert Macfarlane," 20 June 2019 Yet Missett doesn’t include any of the era’s feminist watersheds that were centrally about women claiming bodily autonomy. — Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The Atlantic, "The World That Jazzercise Built," 16 June 2019 Monk and her company’s singing style could be described as bodily, the voice an extension of limbs and emotions. — Mark Swed, latimes.com, "Review: ‘Atlas’ needs no words to astonish as the L.A. Phil wraps its centennial season," 12 June 2019 As a conductor, Hannigan throws herself bodily into her interpretations. — Mark Swed, latimes.com, "Review: Ojai Music Festival witnesses Barbara Hannigan, Wonder Woman in Wonderland," 10 June 2019 Historically, many such technologies prioritized bodily needs over aesthetics. — Joseph F. Coughlin And Luke Yoquinto, WSJ, "Technology for Older People Doesn’t Have to Be Ugly," 14 Oct. 2018 Similar to cleaning bodily fluid stains, try blotting the soiled area with a damp white cotton towel using a mixture of cold water and an enzyme detergent. — Gigi Engle, SELF, "7 Tips for Cleaning Up After Sex Gets Messy," 12 Dec. 2018 Medical literature is littered with strange cases of humans doing ridiculous things, and doctors trying to clean up the resulting bodily messes. — Rachel Becker, The Verge, "A history of body horrors from distended scrotums to exploding teeth," 6 Dec. 2018 The disease causes internal bleeding and spreads rapidly through contact with small amounts of bodily fluid. — Max Bearak, Washington Post, "First confirmed urban Ebola case is a ‘game changer’ in Congo outbreak," 17 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bodily.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for bodily
bodily
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of bodily
(Entry 1 of 2)
: relating to the body : having to do with a person's or animal's body
bodily
adverbEnglish Language Learners Definition of bodily (Entry 2 of 2)
: by moving someone's body
: as an entire structure rather than in pieces
See the full definition for bodily in the English Language Learners Dictionary
bodily
adjective
bodi·ly
| \ ˈbä-də-lē
\
\
Kids Definition of bodily
(Entry 1 of 2)
: of or relating to the body
bodily comfort bodily functions
bodily
adverbKids Definition of bodily (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: by the body
… we shall … remove you bodily to a safer location.— Robert Lawson, Rabbit Hill
2
: as a whole
They moved the house bodily.