as in still
without motion
she stood quietly behind the curtains, hoping to scare her sister when she came into the room
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Recent Examples of quietly
Often overshadowed by romantic destinations like Napa Valley, Savannah, and Charleston, Key West, Florida has quietly earned a spot as one of the world’s top cities for romance.
—
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
For women who have spent years being told that their symptoms are normal, vague, hormonal, or simply part of getting older, the experience feels quietly radical—and, for those seeking answers, perhaps worth the investment.
—Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 7 June 2026
Carrying that guilt for decades has manifested in a quietly simmering rage that comes out in crimes of passion, including killing his wife.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2026
But Head’s true genius—and that of his character—lay in quietly filling in the gaps in every scene, working with his fellow castmates to weave a complete tapestry.
—ArsTechnica, 7 June 2026
On an island where heroism is embedded in everyday acts of hauling vines up terraces, rebuilding after raids, quietly helping strangers in the night, the label itself feels unnecessary.
—Valentina Di Donato, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
American Gangster is Lucas’ story, but the film is a true two-hander, with Crowe’s obsessive performance as Roberts balancing out Denzel's Lucas, who moves through the criminal world quietly and with control.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
In a market crowded with three-row SUVs making increasingly extravagant promises, the Grand Highlander quietly delivers on the fundamentals.
—New Atlas, 6 June 2026
Firth and Perboni have reportedly been quietly dating for around two years.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 6 June 2026
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
For women who have spent years being told that their symptoms are normal, vague, hormonal, or simply part of getting older, the experience feels quietly radical—and, for those seeking answers, perhaps worth the investment.
—Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 7 June 2026
Carrying that guilt for decades has manifested in a quietly simmering rage that comes out in crimes of passion, including killing his wife.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2026
But Head’s true genius—and that of his character—lay in quietly filling in the gaps in every scene, working with his fellow castmates to weave a complete tapestry.
—ArsTechnica, 7 June 2026
On an island where heroism is embedded in everyday acts of hauling vines up terraces, rebuilding after raids, quietly helping strangers in the night, the label itself feels unnecessary.
—Valentina Di Donato, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
American Gangster is Lucas’ story, but the film is a true two-hander, with Crowe’s obsessive performance as Roberts balancing out Denzel's Lucas, who moves through the criminal world quietly and with control.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
In a market crowded with three-row SUVs making increasingly extravagant promises, the Grand Highlander quietly delivers on the fundamentals.
—New Atlas, 6 June 2026
Firth and Perboni have reportedly been quietly dating for around two years.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 6 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quietly
Adverb
-
Election officials estimated there are still about 368,000 ballots left to process countywide.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
More compelling still is soccer’s socioeconomic and cultural and geopolitical capital.—
Leander Schaerlaeckens
June 8,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Adverb
-
Some workers just quiet-quit, doing the minimum to hold on to their jobs.—
Christopher Dinsmore,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Dec. 2022
-
On another end were the quiet-seeking bedrooms and bathrooms, one with a step-down Roman shower.—
oregonlive,
oregonlive,
7 Nov. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Quietly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quietly. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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