as in courteously
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Recent Examples of politely
For much of the last two seasons, Washington’s defense has been out of sync, to put it politely.
—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Almost nine years after their awkward handshake at the 2017 Bastille Day military parade, the two men politely shook hands and expressed their affinity for each other.
—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
Allen’s first pass at the World in Motion lyrics was so laden with references to the druggier aspects of Manchester’s rave culture that the English team politely asked him to maybe tone it down with all the MDMA business.
—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
12 June 2026
Approach politely before the boarding process.
—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
Glamour can feel like something borrowed from another city, shipped in from New York, Milan, Paris or Los Angeles, then politely softened for the Bay Area.
—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2026
Some – asking politely, saying please and thank you each time – work better than others, such as nagging or pleading.
—
Angela J. Narayan,
The Conversation,
9 June 2026
The results are often, to put it politely, anywhere from underwhelming to plagiaristic.
—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
8 June 2026
Other kindly ushers, who had directed people to an adjacent section after Section 535 filled up, politely asked everyone to please put their shirts back on before returning to the general stadium population.
—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Almost nine years after their awkward handshake at the 2017 Bastille Day military parade, the two men politely shook hands and expressed their affinity for each other.
—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
Allen’s first pass at the World in Motion lyrics was so laden with references to the druggier aspects of Manchester’s rave culture that the English team politely asked him to maybe tone it down with all the MDMA business.
—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
12 June 2026
Approach politely before the boarding process.
—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
Glamour can feel like something borrowed from another city, shipped in from New York, Milan, Paris or Los Angeles, then politely softened for the Bay Area.
—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2026
Some – asking politely, saying please and thank you each time – work better than others, such as nagging or pleading.
—
Angela J. Narayan,
The Conversation,
9 June 2026
The results are often, to put it politely, anywhere from underwhelming to plagiaristic.
—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
8 June 2026
Other kindly ushers, who had directed people to an adjacent section after Section 535 filled up, politely asked everyone to please put their shirts back on before returning to the general stadium population.
—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for politely
Adverb
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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.
Adverb
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According to Kim, the theme is not about respectfully preserving Korean aesthetics, but about dismantling, disrupting, and wearing them again.
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The ring of onlookers parts respectfully as the elderly couple approaches their granddaughter.
Adverb
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Hall’s dexterity with finicky varietals is on full display with his entry level Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (both civilly priced at $40 and $45 respectively).
-
In April, Murekezi was ordered civilly committed as mentally ill.
Adverb
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And Carey, just very shyly, was like, ‘Yep, that’s my kitchen.
-
So much so that after the discussion, Cole shyly approached the stranger.
Cite this Entry
“Politely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/politely. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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