What does "fleshly" mean?
Of or relating to the body.
Fleshly
adj, adv
adj, adv ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Of or relating to the body.
- Grammar: fleshly is listed as adj, adv.
- Nearest alternatives: carnal, sensual, adamic, adamite.
- Useful contrasts: ascetic, immaterial, spiritual.
- Usage evidence: Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts.
How to use "fleshly"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fleshly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fleshly" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fleshly" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fleshly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fleshly" is acting as adj, adv in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "carnal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fleshly", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Of or relating to the body.
"[…] in the body of this fleshly land, This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath, Hostility and civil tumult reigns Between my conscience and my cousin’s death."
- 2 Of, relating to or resembling flesh; composed of flesh; having a lot of flesh.
"[…] lay on load enough vpon e’m, and spare e’m not, for the’re good plump fleshly Asses, and may well enough beare it:"
- 3 Of or relating to pleasurable (often sexual) sensations.
"[…] abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."
- 4 Of or relating to non-spiritual or non-religious matters.
"[…] in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world […]"
Adjective
- 1 marked by the appetites and passions of the body wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In a sensual way; in a sexual way; carnally. archaic
"Syr said Launcelot ye saye that that good knyȝt is my sone That ouȝtest thow to knowe and no man better said the good man / For thow knewest the doughter of kyng Pelles flesshely / and on her thow begattest Galahad / And that was he that at the feest of Pentecost satte in the sege peryllous"
Antonyms
Example
"Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fleshly"?
Common synonyms include: carnal, sensual, adamic, adamite, adamitic, amorous.
How do you use "fleshly" in a sentence?
Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English fleschly, from Old English flǣsċlīċ; equivalent to flesh + -ly.
Etymology 2
From Middle English fleschly, from Old English flǣsċlīċe; equivalent to flesh + -ly.