respectfully

adverb

1
as in lovingly

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2
as in politely

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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 respectfully Because this is an ongoing investigation, the family respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time. — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 While the traditional Swedish version, called a prinsesstårta, typically features a layer of raspberry jam and a bright green marzipan coating, Sant Ambroeus’ iteration is respectfully remixed for a more metropolitan crowd. — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 Soon There is an art to respectfully negotiating on prices at estate sales, Robbins explains, and asking for a discount too soon isn’t the way to go. — Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 Glen’s family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 29 July 2026 Employees are encouraged to respectfully challenge assumptions and put forth divergent viewpoints. — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Those qualities, combined with nearly twenty years of courtroom experience, have prepared me to serve fairly, respectfully, and impartially as a County Court Judge. — Schnelle Tonge, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2026 Sheinbaum did her best to respectfully downplay the significance of the former president’s screed. — Tim Golden, ProPublica, 13 July 2026 Leaving respectfully can preserve those relationships, and that matters more than staying out of guilt ever will. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respectfully
  1. lovingly
  2. politely
  3. positively
  4. courteously
  5. civilly
Adverb
  • But an outdoor garden, no matter how beautiful and lovingly designed or how innovatively used in the menu, is susceptible to the whims of Miami’s humid, rainy, extraordinarily lengthy summers.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The current owners spent a year lovingly converting the former bed-and-breakfast to a luxury inn with spacious rooms and gathering areas decorated with incredible artworks.
    — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of lovingly
Adverb
  • Clocking in at 30 minutes, Williams’ Quartet La Jolla is a five-part work that politely utilizes dissonance and sometimes abstract rhythms.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Advertising was minimal, and displays of enthusiasm were politely discouraged.
    — Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of politely
Adverb
  • Employees can answer the first question positively while simultaneously giving a negative response to the second.
    — John Radman, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The drive didn’t start positively as the Willis’ first two passes fell to the ground.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of positively
Adverb
  • Two inspectors knocked on doors and spoke courteously to surprised visitors who displayed booking contracts on their phones, the inspectors’ bodycam footage showed.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of courteously
Adverb
  • Those held by Customs and Border Protection near the border, or by ICE in the country’s interior, are civilly detained for the purpose of removal proceedings.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The prosecutor’s office said it was notified the following week that the hospital would not civilly commit him, and he was released.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of civilly

Browse Nearby Words

respectful
respectfully
respectfulness
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Cite this Entry

“Respectfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respectfully. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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