as in courteously
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Recent Examples of politely
Though Sarah has politely declined offers from others to pray over her, the nanny powers through.
—
Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
The team politely declined the invitation, citing travel logistics put in place days earlier.
—John Wawrow, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Allen politely pushed back at a label given to him Wednesday at the NFL combine.
—Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
They were politely received and largely ignored by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western leaders.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Those few who did have something to say proved adept at politely saying as little as possible.
—Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
These are rumored to be some of the strongest in town — so strong the bar politely caps you at two.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 22 Feb. 2026
In the wild, this cactus can get 4 feet tall and 10 inches wide, but a little bishop's cap in a 4-inch pot will stay politely small for many years to come.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
Chock and Bates, sitting next to the kiss-and-cry in white arm chairs reserved for the current leaders, clapped politely.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
The team politely declined the invitation, citing travel logistics put in place days earlier.
—John Wawrow, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Allen politely pushed back at a label given to him Wednesday at the NFL combine.
—Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
They were politely received and largely ignored by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western leaders.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Those few who did have something to say proved adept at politely saying as little as possible.
—Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
These are rumored to be some of the strongest in town — so strong the bar politely caps you at two.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 22 Feb. 2026
In the wild, this cactus can get 4 feet tall and 10 inches wide, but a little bishop's cap in a 4-inch pot will stay politely small for many years to come.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
Chock and Bates, sitting next to the kiss-and-cry in white arm chairs reserved for the current leaders, clapped politely.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for politely
Adverb
-
When a visitor arrives in a classroom, a classroom ambassador welcomes them, introduces himself and the subject being taught, and courteously asks for the visitor’s name and affiliation.—
Walter Fields,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Well, respectfully, Israel has air superiority over Iran.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Embark on a scenic drive, but do so respectfully.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Such defendants must be released or civilly committed.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Litigation went back and forth civilly to the point where leadership needed the help of Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala, who eventually filed nuisance charges in January 2024.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
14 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
So much so that after the discussion, Cole shyly approached the stranger.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Naroditsky removes his blindfold and smiles shyly.—
Jordan Himelfarb,
Time,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Politely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/politely. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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