1
as in quietly
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2
as in lightly
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Recent Examples of softly
Dewey-eyed and softly singing, audience members called out for the same.
—
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
Crawford, on the other hand, touted Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show bombshell hair; her honey-brown highlights softly waved and parted over the right side of her head.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
Spanberger softly condemned Jones’s violent rhetoric but declined to distance herself from him.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
Chip heeled tight to my left, his ears laid back, whining softly.
—Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
My hair was softly curled, and my face was expertly sculpted with a breathable base that still allowed my skin to shine through.
—Brianna J. Heath, Essence, 27 Oct. 2025
Horn speaks softly, but says a lot.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
As Rissa emerged from the chapel and began to walk down the aisle during the ceremony, a harpist and choir sang softly in the background, adding to the already emotional atmosphere.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
This image captures the Rubin Observatory beneath a dazzling sweep of the southern Milky Way galaxy, with the Large Magellanic Cloud glowing softly to the left.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
Crawford, on the other hand, touted Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show bombshell hair; her honey-brown highlights softly waved and parted over the right side of her head.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
Spanberger softly condemned Jones’s violent rhetoric but declined to distance herself from him.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
Chip heeled tight to my left, his ears laid back, whining softly.
—Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
My hair was softly curled, and my face was expertly sculpted with a breathable base that still allowed my skin to shine through.
—Brianna J. Heath, Essence, 27 Oct. 2025
Horn speaks softly, but says a lot.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
As Rissa emerged from the chapel and began to walk down the aisle during the ceremony, a harpist and choir sang softly in the background, adding to the already emotional atmosphere.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
This image captures the Rubin Observatory beneath a dazzling sweep of the southern Milky Way galaxy, with the Large Magellanic Cloud glowing softly to the left.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softly
Adverb
-
Amazon quietly discounted dozens of top picks from Stewart’s collection, including Dutch ovens, knife sets, oven mitts, and more, with prices starting at just $8 and discounts going for up to 60 percent off.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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The prose looks polished, charts look clean, and a single percentage point buried in the model quietly pushes the decision in a different direction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Cook until just tender and lightly browned, 5 minutes.—
Holly Riordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2026
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Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and ground pepper.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The fireball expands rapidly, rippling through the air as emergency sirens wail faintly in the distance.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Remember to be patient as auroras may arrive in quiet bursts, glowing faintly before becoming vibrant waves of color.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Short-foot activation Stand barefoot and gently press your toes into the floor while drawing the ball of your foot slightly toward your heel, creating a subtle arch.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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To remove rust, sprinkle a bit of Bar Keepers Friend or baking soda over the affected area, add a drop of water to create a paste, and gently scrub with a soft sponge.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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One man aboard the boat knew how to navigate the mangroves and sandbars of the keys, and with the late summer sun beating down on the rafters, the boat pushed out feebly into the open ocean.—
Miriam Pensack,
The Dial,
30 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Incredibly, Joel takes a seat and begins to tenderly tickle the ivories.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
5 Jan. 2026
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Stay in a Historic Inn A short walk up the road is The 1910 Inn, an aqua- and eggplant-hued historic Queen Anne home that fourth-generation local Annie Samarkos has tenderly restored into a bed-and-breakfast and event venue.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Softly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softly. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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