1
as in weakly
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2
as in tenderly
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gently
Smith suggests gently opening the door with a brief, compassionate check-in.
—
Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Still a work in progress, but also a person not willing to go gently into the dying light.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2026
For them, gently used pieces make their rental feel special.
—Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The dog then slumped into the boat, with one crew member gently patting it in comfort.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Cook the salmon at 400°F for 8–12 minutes, basting halfway through, until the fish flakes easily when the top of the salmon is gently pressed with a fork.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Choosing burial gently affirms this faith and expresses hope in the enduring bond between body and soul.
—Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Cooking at Too High a Heat Rice should simmer gently, not boil aggressively.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 27 Jan. 2026
Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Still a work in progress, but also a person not willing to go gently into the dying light.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2026
For them, gently used pieces make their rental feel special.
—Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
The dog then slumped into the boat, with one crew member gently patting it in comfort.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Cook the salmon at 400°F for 8–12 minutes, basting halfway through, until the fish flakes easily when the top of the salmon is gently pressed with a fork.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Choosing burial gently affirms this faith and expresses hope in the enduring bond between body and soul.
—Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Cooking at Too High a Heat Rice should simmer gently, not boil aggressively.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gently
Adverb
-
In 1946, Congress responded weakly to mounting overseas food needs.—
Peter Simons,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
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In 1946, Congress responded weakly to mounting overseas food needs.—
Peter Simons,
Fortune,
14 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Incredibly, Joel takes a seat and begins to tenderly tickle the ivories.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
5 Jan. 2026
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Stay in a Historic Inn A short walk up the road is The 1910 Inn, an aqua- and eggplant-hued historic Queen Anne home that fourth-generation local Annie Samarkos has tenderly restored into a bed-and-breakfast and event venue.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Bailey drove again to the basket and softly banked in a left-handed layup to trim the Monarchs’ lead to 73-72.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
29 Jan. 2026
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Land softly with your knees bent and go right into your next jump squat.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
29 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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And five monkeys had been present at the silent launching of the fragile glider, which should have stayed in the air for some minutes, borne on the bosom of the wind, before landing sweetly on a treetop, from which it would then be retrieved by Pedro for another flight.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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In photos and clips of the couple, they can be seen cozying up to one another and sweetly kissing.—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Like the previous film, Shuko Murase’s direction is deft and very subtle, with character progression handled delicately.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Biden in the film delicately but pointedly describes his disappointment with the current nature of the discourse.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The brutal and sometimes lethal tactics being used by a growing number of ICE agents are divinely sanctioned.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
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The new outdoor pool is divinely quiet, with ample seating and a fabulous menu of food and drink.—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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One man aboard the boat knew how to navigate the mangroves and sandbars of the keys, and with the late summer sun beating down on the rafters, the boat pushed out feebly into the open ocean.—
Miriam Pensack,
The Dial,
30 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Orbitz should have coordinated with Aer Lingus to resolve your refund request promptly and compassionately.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
29 Dec. 2025
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City leaders believe they could be done more compassionately by offering services and shelter.—
Angela Hart,
CBS News,
18 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gently. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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