It is commonly known that most words ending in –ly are adverbs. Not all words ending in –ly are adverbs. A significant number of them are adjectives, which are often mistaken for adverbs. Following is a list of adjectives ending in -ly that, with a few exceptions, cannot be used as adverbs.
authorly | ghastly | monthly* | southerly |
beastly | ghostly | motherly | sparkly |
bodily | giggly | neighborly | spindly |
bristly | godly | nightly | sprightly |
bubbly | goodly | northeasterly | squiggly |
burly | gravelly | northerly | steely |
brotherly | grisly | northwesterly | stately |
chilly | heavenly | oily | surly |
comely | hilly | only | timely |
costly | holy | orderly | treacly |
courtly | homely | otherworldly | ugly |
cowardly | hourly | painterly | unearthly |
crinkly | housekeeperly | pearly | unfriendly |
crumbly | husbandly | pebbly | ungainly |
crumply | jolly | pimply | unlikely |
cuddly | kindly | poorly | unruly |
curly | kingly | priestly | unseemly |
daily* | leisurely | princely | unsightly |
dastardly | likely | quarterly | untimely |
deadly | lively | queenly | unworldly |
deathly | lonely | rumply | weekly* |
disorderly | lovely | saintly | westerly |
early | lowly | scaly | wifely |
earthly | maidenly | scholarly | wily |
easterly | manly | shapely | wobbly |
elderly | mannerly | sickly | womanly |
fatherly | masterly | silly | woolly |
fortnightly* | matronly | sisterly | worldly |
friendly | mealy | slatternly | wriggly |
frilly | measly | slovenly | wrinkly |
frizzly | melancholy | sly | yearly* |
gentlemanly | miserly | smelly | ------ |
*Can also be used as an adverb.