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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in carefully
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 gingerly
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
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
That also means proceeding gingerly with confessional rituals in the military, whose service members represent all faiths, including none, and should never feel pressured or excluded.
—Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
Afterward, Lendeborg gingerly plucked his way through a packed locker room, carefully stepping over an open duffel bag to sit at his locker and greet the media swarm.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
That also means proceeding gingerly with confessional rituals in the military, whose service members represent all faiths, including none, and should never feel pressured or excluded.
—Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gingerly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gingerly
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 May 2026
-
Through some careful engineering, Roberts, Alito, and their allies have created a trap for voting-rights cases.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Adverb
-
Rice’s lyrics are carefully enunciated and given nuanced line readings.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
By carefully limiting transport, access to these sites remains more orderly, preventing blockage and ensuring continuous turnover.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Abraham Lincoln was wary of the doctrine, perceiving that any such notion of divine inevitability could be used to justify land grabs and war.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Perhaps the rest of the league owners are now wary about dealing with the Hornets.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Adverb
-
But the referendum’s language was never formally amended to reflect that belief.—
Nicolas Villamil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
-
The family of late owner Peter Seidler formally announced the deal Saturday.—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Be cautious of any company that pushes a specific program without understanding your circumstances.—
Rebecca Safier,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Visitors should be cautious about going into a sea cave without a guide, as a swell can flow into it and dramatically raise the water level in a matter of seconds, pushing kayaks into rocks and leaving little air for those trapped inside.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Then, on Friday and Saturday, DeCosta would methodically attempt to upgrade his roster at numerous positions — with much of that energy geared toward enhancing star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s reality — a prospect that excited him as the three-day marathon approached.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Taylor Polidore Williams recurs as Brooke Cropper, Eric’s second wife who is just as calculating as her husband and is methodically preparing for a heated divorce.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Markus Redmond rounded out the cast as orderly turned EMT Raymond.—
Kelly Martinez,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Keep boots upright and orderly by using boot trees, cardboard tubes, or even a short length of PVC pipe.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Take your time, systematically checking every nook and cranny.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
28 Apr. 2026
-
At the same time, in the United States and around the world, women’s rights and protections are being systematically stripped away.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gingerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gingerly. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
