1
as in quietly
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in lightly
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of softly
Instead, the Lakers superstar pulled up straight over the top of Bryant’s outstretched arm, dropping a fadeaway jumper softly through the net.
—
Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Her signature copper red hair, styled by Halley Brisker, was worn softly tousled down her back.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
Its striking black marble counter, supported by Murano glass cones infused with gold dust, glows softly as the room fills with guests.
—Vicki Power, TheWeek, 31 Mar. 2026
The dog has black, white and ginger coloring, with pointed ears that flop softly at the tips, reinforcing the impression of a breed known for its compact size and boundless energy.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The ball drew beautifully, landing softly about 25 feet from the hole.
—Mike Dame, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Do quick, small jumps using mostly your ankles, landing each time softly with a tiny bend in the knees.
—Jim Diehl Cscs, Outside, 29 Mar. 2026
Yainer Diaz softly grounded a first-pitch fastball, but toward an opening in the Angels’ shifted infield for a two-run single.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
Slingbacks, with their thin straps and softly pointed toe, are proof of that.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Her signature copper red hair, styled by Halley Brisker, was worn softly tousled down her back.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
Its striking black marble counter, supported by Murano glass cones infused with gold dust, glows softly as the room fills with guests.
—Vicki Power, TheWeek, 31 Mar. 2026
The dog has black, white and ginger coloring, with pointed ears that flop softly at the tips, reinforcing the impression of a breed known for its compact size and boundless energy.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The ball drew beautifully, landing softly about 25 feet from the hole.
—Mike Dame, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Do quick, small jumps using mostly your ankles, landing each time softly with a tiny bend in the knees.
—Jim Diehl Cscs, Outside, 29 Mar. 2026
Yainer Diaz softly grounded a first-pitch fastball, but toward an opening in the Angels’ shifted infield for a two-run single.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
Slingbacks, with their thin straps and softly pointed toe, are proof of that.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softly
Adverb
-
The wife quietly told her husband to hide his kippah under his hat.—
Arielle Kaden,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
In many Black families, caregiving happens quietly.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Officials have directed agents to find and lightly redact files on the earlier investigation for review by top administration officials this week, The New York Times said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
EMTs and paramedics are also caring for two people who were lightly injured at another scene in central Israel, the ambulance service said.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The syrupy sweetness brought to mind a pancake, while the faintly cultured cheese turned it savory.—
Cesar Hernandez,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Bachata played faintly, with plucky notes from the guitar cutting through cows' grunts.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
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.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Standing knee-deep in the lo‘i, covered in mud, gently pressing roots into the earth, anchored me in a new way.—
Wassan Al-Khudhairi,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Heathcliff’s racial ambiguity — so central to the novel’s violence and otherness — is feebly erased.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
-
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
-
Yet the director, Vanessa Caswill, stages it all with a tenderly forlorn Middle American plausibility.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The making of such a film would look a lot like the funny, tenderly melancholic, and wonderful Candidates of Death.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
On a brilliant midsummer morning, my wife and I stepped into a black Zodiac raft and drifted noiselessly among icebergs five stories high, their emerald and aquamarine walls gleaming above sapphire waters.—
Pico Iyer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softly. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
