GINGERLY Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

gingerly 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjin-jər-lē

Definition of gingerly

as in careful

having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble gave the cork on the bottle of champagne a gingerly twist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gingerly

2 of 2

adverb

as in carefully

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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 gingerly

Adjective

Despite the satisfaction that handlers take in gingerly nursing pangolins back to their full strength, the center’s location and the handlers’ identities must remain a secret. — Kang-Chun Cheng, Christian Science Monitor, 9 July 2025 Unlike the gingerly approach to easing restrictions targeting the spread of the virus, the country is split over reopening businesses and schools. — Kendall Karson, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2021

Adverb

Many of the dummies evolved admirably over the competition’s final hour, complete with fine laugh lines and subtle details like creeping wisps of nose hair, which were gingerly applied with tweezers and Krazy Glue. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Zambada, wearing a tan jail suit over an orange T-shirt, walked gingerly as deputy federal marshals escorted him to and from the courtroom, which was packed with drug enforcement agents and prosecution staff. — Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gingerly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gingerly

Adjective

The Challenges of Caring for a Fireclay Sink However, the same gleaming surface that makes a fireclay sink an anchor of your kitchen design requires a more intentional, careful cleaning routine than some other materials.

— Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 10 Sep. 2026
The premise couldn’t be simpler, though Wollner’s incredible prologue — a careful arrangement of low-event long takes that emphasize how people move through spaces in time — trains our eyes to privilege texture over incident.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of careful

Adverb

Reddington also pushed back on one of the prosecution's central arguments that Lindsay Clancy carefully planned the killings by sending Patrick Clancy out on errands.

— Lorraine Taylor , Bryan Llenas, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Officials tread carefully in regulating car caravans, which can overwhelm traffic and bring streets to a standstill.

— Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of carefully

Adjective

His father, Francisco, was also wary, afraid that the town’s militarization would somehow provoke further conflict.

— Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
South Africa has seemingly overcome its electricity crisis, with the country’s power utility, Eskom, reporting a power surplus during the winter peak-demand season, but civil society groups are wary of the surplus power being sold to data centers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of wary

Adverb

Data from the Interior Ministry reflects crimes that are formally reported or detected by police, while the FCJE monitors incidents collected from community members, social media and other sources.

— Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Buckingham Palace has formally restated that Prince Harry and Meghan remain nonworking royals, issuing a letter to officials and the media as the couple resettles in the United Kingdom.

— Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of formally

Adverb

Then, Clancy methodically killed the kids one after another and then attempted suicide by throwing herself out of her second-story bedroom window, prosecutors said.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Fans were still filing in, braving 90-degree heat with novelty beer swords in hand, as Maiava moved USC methodically down the field, punching in a one-yard keeper for an early score.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of methodically

Adverb

The film also contains allegations that Israel is systematically destroying homes in Gaza to create a wasteland that will prevent Palestinians from ever returning.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
Luigi Mangione had allegedly just shot the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, an insurance company—not my own—that had been systematically denying patients care.

— Elizabeth Nicholas, Vanity Fair, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of systematically

Browse Nearby Words

gingerliness

gingerly

gingersnap

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“Gingerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gingerly. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of gingerly

adjective

adverb

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