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 Varsho respectfully pushed back on his manager's assessment, suggesting that the Blue Jays' effort wasn't the issue despite the result. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 21 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 Put yourself in situations where people are willing to talk respectfully and address their differences. — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 July 2026 How to Properly Retire a Flag While retiring a flag involves taking it down, folding it into a triangle, and respectfully burning it, there are specific protocols to follow. — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 3 July 2026 However, strong plays by the Ecuadorian selection were respectfully acknowledged by Mexico supporters. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026 Being a pro athlete doesn’t exempt you from behaving respectfully in society. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respectfully
  1. lovingly
  2. politely
  3. positively
  4. courteously
  5. civilly
Adverb
  • Down the block, the Bullocks Wilshire has been lovingly restored and protected by the Southwestern Law School.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • The Wildlife Conservation Society said the turtle was rescued by the Massachusetts Audubon Society and lovingly named Pancake.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 24 July 2026
Definition of lovingly
Adverb
  • The Dodgers should take the pressure off the players by politely declining an invitation to visit.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • Harrelson offered a puff to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who politely declined.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026
Definition of politely
Adverb
  • At the same time, the flotsam also contributes positively to the knowledge of the ocean system’s function, thereby presenting possibilities for its salvation.
    — Alexander Klose, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
  • Eight people in total were found inside, including six children believed to be between the ages of 5 and 15, according to Sparks, who said not all have been positively identified yet.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 24 July 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
  • Trump separately was found civilly liable by another Manhattan federal court jury for having defamed Carroll.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 29 June 2026
  • The seven-person jury deliberated for about eight hours over two days before finding Banken and several of his companies civilly liable for violating the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
    — Andy Mannix, ProPublica, 23 June 2026
Definition of civilly

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Cite this Entry

“Respectfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respectfully. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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