a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word group, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc. (e.g., gently, quite, then, there)

students are encouraged to pare back adjectives and adverbs in order to let the action present itself

some people use the word real as an adverb, as in ‘it's real hot in here‘