softly

adverb

Definition of softlynext
1
as in quietly

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in lightly

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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 softly In the dry-down, tonka bean tempers the citrus with a creamy, softly gourmand quality that contrasts with the bright opening. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026 Birds chirp softly from the surrounding fall foliage, seemingly hesitant to disturb the peace. — Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 2 Sep. 2026 DeLuca then chopped a ball softly to the left side that shortstop Xander Bogaerts ran in to grab. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 The first was pulled off on July 10 by the first stage of a Long March 10B rocket, which nestled softly into a net-like apparatus installed on a ship at sea. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026 In the social media post, the 90-year-old enthusiastically cuddles the pup and pets her softly. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 His burst was impressive, as was his ability to fly at the rim and put the ball softly off the glass. — Cj Moore, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 In the meantime, a light powder like Milani Stay Put Brow Color can softly fill in gaps. — Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 Milli softly shifts into apero mode, and buzzy coffee drinks are replaced with cool-kid natural wines, available by the glass or bottle. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softly
  1. quietly
  2. lightly
  3. faintly
  4. gently
  5. feebly
  6. tenderly
  7. noiselessly
Adverb
  • But Doubs quietly put together an impressive second half of training camp and was especially good in the red zone.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • By August, Democratic candidates in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania were running ads against data centers directly, and Republicans have begun quietly distancing themselves from the same policies many once championed.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of quietly
Adverb
  • To do so, place the slices in a nonstick or lightly oiled skillet over low to medium-low heat and cover the pan.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The gel texture lightly clarifies the scalp and volumizes the roots with the help of salicylic and glutamic acids.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of lightly
Adverb
  • Related Stories While onstage before his new film bowed on the first night of the serene Colorado festival, Haigh seemed faintly astonished to be there at all.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The scenery is almost irresistible in fall, when the air is faintly pumpkin-scented and the pace slows.
    — Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of faintly
Adverb
  • Its 30% Saccharomyces yeast ferment contains 3% N-acetylglucosamine, an amino sugar that gently encourages surface exfoliation without relying on AHAs or BHAs, helping skin look smoother and more even with less potential for irritation.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Use a microfiber cloth, mild dish soap, and warm water to gently clean zellige tiles without damaging them.
    — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of gently
Adverb
  • Chief swam feebly across, joined the other two horses on the bank, and stood there shaking.
    — Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
  • Judge lined it feebly into the glove of an outfielder.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Definition of feebly
Adverb
  • Mining the moribund annals of art history, the duo create tenderly wrought paintings and drawings that often revisit the aesthetics of the Hapsburg and Ottoman Empires, which overtook large swaths of the artists’ native Croatia for centuries.
    — Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The sense the gallery creates is of all three artists tenderly reunited and singing together in unison.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tenderly
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
Definition of noiselessly

Browse Nearby Words

softies
softly
softness
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Cite this Entry

“Softly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softly. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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