1
as in quietly
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2
as in lightly
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Recent Examples of softly
The couple with the hiking poles were there, too, eating hamburgers and speaking too softly for Daria and Andrés to overhear.
—
Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Mia spent three days on the witness stand, much of which was spent looking down, speaking softly and often crying.
—Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Against a palette of softly glitching synth, Zelda flute, and twittering mechanical birds, the song circles feelings of uncertainty about commitment, sacrifice, and choosing one’s true path.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2025
Behind them, the wildflowers bloom softly from the healing dirt of an earth that has never known a thing besides how to just keep going.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Arnold says softly, presumably so as not to disturb the bison or call attention to herself.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
The clear formula is lightweight but substantial enough to create a cast that scrunches out softly, leaving hair touchable instead of stiff.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2025
Not softly, but with brute force, with grit and toughness, heart to match his hands.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Many bowed their heads, some cried softly.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Mia spent three days on the witness stand, much of which was spent looking down, speaking softly and often crying.
—Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Against a palette of softly glitching synth, Zelda flute, and twittering mechanical birds, the song circles feelings of uncertainty about commitment, sacrifice, and choosing one’s true path.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2025
Behind them, the wildflowers bloom softly from the healing dirt of an earth that has never known a thing besides how to just keep going.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Arnold says softly, presumably so as not to disturb the bison or call attention to herself.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
The clear formula is lightweight but substantial enough to create a cast that scrunches out softly, leaving hair touchable instead of stiff.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2025
Not softly, but with brute force, with grit and toughness, heart to match his hands.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Many bowed their heads, some cried softly.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softly
Adverb
-
Across five starts, Thiaw has been quietly composed.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
At Ares Management's analyst day last month, the alternative asset manager quietly bumped up its three-year fundraising targets by 25%.—
Leslie Picker,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.—
Kara Alaimo,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
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The shortbread cookies are lightly golden with a satisfying crunch, while the filling inside strikes a delicious balance.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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The opening layers vanilla and honey into a faintly sweet and almost liquor-like aroma.—
Michael Stefanov,
Robb Report,
23 Sep. 2025
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The porch smells faintly of lime and ginger, and the house hums the way houses do when a good conversation has just ended.—
Gina Pace,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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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,
3 Oct. 2025
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Unlike traditional candles that require an open flame, these lamps gently melt your favorite wax from the top down, filling your space with hints of Honeycrisp apple and vanilla pumpkin safely and efficiently.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
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
-
With sensitive skin types in mind, the creamy, fragrance-free formula boasts a simple ingredient list, using glycerin and niacinamide to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and nonstripping micelles— molecules in micellar water—to tenderly wash away dirt and oil.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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The woman has since adopted the kitten—who turned out to be a boy—and shared sweet updates, including videos of him being tenderly bottle-fed.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softly. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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