delicately

adverb

Definition of delicatelynext
as in faintly

Related Words

Relevance

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 delicately The floor-length Maggi dress was delicately hand-embroidered with pink glass cut beads. — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 4 July 2026 In summer 2026, fashion brands are offering less and less chunky sandals and instead leaning into minimalist cage-toe designs and thin ankle straps that delicately wrap around the foot. — René Chávez Esparza, Glamour, 3 July 2026 But true lambrusco, made in the Italian province of Emilia-Romagna is dry, bracing and delicately effervescent. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026 The kale salad, fluffy and delicately dressed, is also getting some buzz now. — Peter St. Onge updated June 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026 As for the furnishings and decor, Marie threw in a mix of colors, shapes, and textures—from an eye-popping blue denim patchwork on the sofa (Osni and Roberts’s idea) to a delicately curved Noguchi pendant lamp—to create a kaleidoscopic counterpoint to the woody cocoon. — Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2026 Bruno Fernandes delicately lifted the ball over the defenders into Ronaldo’s path, only for Nematov to charge out of his goal and block Ronaldo’s effort. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 23 June 2026 The sport permeates this delicately whimsical tale about would-be lovers cursed to not recognize each other. — Carlos Aguilar, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026 But wet coffee grounds, when applied delicately with a Q-tip and left to sit for a few minutes, can actually repair and conceal these imperfections once scrubbed away with a rag. — Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delicately
  1. faintly
  2. shakily
  3. gently
  4. weakly
  5. feebly
  6. softly
Adverb
  • Transamerica Pyramid looks almost close enough to touch; Coit Tower glows faintly in the distance.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
  • Noctilucent clouds usually appear low in the sky as pale blue, silver or sometimes faintly gold ripples and filaments.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of faintly
Adverb
  • Their approaches from the weekend flash in front of them, each one shakily filmed from a distance by Artisan.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
  • The archival, iconic footage of Jordan scoring 38 points while dealing with illness in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals was intended to inspire willpower in a Bruins team that had run shakily out of the starting gate in its last two tournament games.
    — Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of shakily
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.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
  • To use, simply grind the chalk gently near the wall’s blemish to pack the dust into the opening.
    — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 5 July 2026
Definition of gently
Adverb
  • Native traditions have repeatedly been acknowledged in principle – named, counted, formally recognized – but weakly protected in practice.
    — Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation, 9 July 2026
  • Molecular design matters Unlike conventional porous carbon materials that interact weakly with polysulfides, covalent organic frameworks can be engineered with precise pore structures and chemical functionalities.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Definition of weakly
Adverb
  • Chief swam feebly across, joined the other two horses on the bank, and stood there shaking.
    — Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
  • Judge lined it feebly into the glove of an outfielder.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Definition of feebly
Adverb
  • There are not many places in the Caribbean that speak this softly and still land this hard.
    — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • Place the hands on the floor in front of the feet, bending the knees softly if needed.
    — Mallory Creveling, Health, 9 July 2026
Definition of softly

Browse Nearby Words

delicate
delicately
delicious
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Delicately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delicately. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on delicately

Nglish: Translation of delicately for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All