1
as in quietly
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2
as in lightly
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Recent Examples of softly
While the trees are softly illuminated from below, the flower beds and garden features are accented with lighting from above, a strategy undertaken by Apfelstadt to foster a magical, immersive ambiance.
—
Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
But with how softly Aranda’s batted ball was, Chisholm had to turn a double play because throwing home to get Chandler Simpson out at the plate was impossible.
—Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Noah blushed then nodded softly.
—Allegra Givens, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Land softly and immediately lower into the next squat.
—Jenessa Connor, Health, 10 Apr. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Friendships brighten as words land softly.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2026
The live music is an integral part of the play in setting the scene, with thunderous giant drums evoking thunder or, when played more softly, gently falling snow.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Known for their slipper-like feel, Birdies packs these leather flats with layered cushioning and a softly structured interior that supports the foot without stiffness.
—Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
Amid the political gridlock, Mayor Brandon Johnson has softly supported Lawson as chair, but largely stayed out of the debate.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
But with how softly Aranda’s batted ball was, Chisholm had to turn a double play because throwing home to get Chandler Simpson out at the plate was impossible.
—Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Noah blushed then nodded softly.
—Allegra Givens, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Land softly and immediately lower into the next squat.
—Jenessa Connor, Health, 10 Apr. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Friendships brighten as words land softly.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2026
The live music is an integral part of the play in setting the scene, with thunderous giant drums evoking thunder or, when played more softly, gently falling snow.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Known for their slipper-like feel, Birdies packs these leather flats with layered cushioning and a softly structured interior that supports the foot without stiffness.
—Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
Amid the political gridlock, Mayor Brandon Johnson has softly supported Lawson as chair, but largely stayed out of the debate.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softly
Adverb
-
In November 2021, Trap star Josh Hartnett and his longtime partner Tamsin Egerton quietly married in a private ceremony in London.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
When most teenagers are focused on school and social life, Miri Ahuja, a freshman at Evergreen Valley High School, has been busy quietly changing her community — one pad at a time.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Fresh lemons are lightly seared in butter and tossed with blanched broccolini, Swiss chard, and peas.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Add the olive oil, then chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden and the skin releases easily from the skillet.—
Erin Merhar,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The architecture is predominantly grand Victorian villas in candy-box lilacs and creams, their aged wooden panels faintly reminiscent of a Norwegian coastal town.—
Alexandra Genova,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Every swipe gently refines and brightens over time, but your skin still feels calm, comfortable, and unbothered.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
22 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Heathcliff’s racial ambiguity — so central to the novel’s violence and otherness — is feebly erased.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
-
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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Yet the director, Vanessa Caswill, stages it all with a tenderly forlorn Middle American plausibility.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
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The making of such a film would look a lot like the funny, tenderly melancholic, and wonderful Candidates of Death.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Small branches can be clipped quickly and almost noiselessly and fashioned into an effective blind in only a few minutes.—
Bruce Brady,
Outdoor Life,
8 Apr. 2026
-
On a brilliant midsummer morning, my wife and I stepped into a black Zodiac raft and drifted noiselessly among icebergs five stories high, their emerald and aquamarine walls gleaming above sapphire waters.—
Pico Iyer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softly. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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