1
as in quietly
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2
as in lightly
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Recent Examples of softly
On set, Sir John used Make Up For Ever’s Artist Color Pencils to softly line and define eyes, before using individual lashes on the bottom for a doll-like effect.
—
Karina Hoshikawa, Refinery29, 10 Sep. 2025
Go softly when dealing with others.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
And solitude is killing us softly.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
On the wrist, the rounded shape is softly comfortable with a small centre link in gold pivoting a soft leather strap, while a slider on the left side of the case opens up a new dimension of audible time-telling.
—Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
In the snap, Culpo smiled softly for the camera while breastfeeding the infant.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
In a breeze, the solar lights sway softly, flickering like fireflies.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The real Ed and Lorraine had close ties to the Church, and they’ve been softly praised and heavily criticized for their controversial work with the occult.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
The golden past always has the sheen of nostalgia, captured in the wide aspect ratio and softly grainy footage of a Hollywood classic.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Karina Hoshikawa, Refinery29, 10 Sep. 2025
Go softly when dealing with others.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
And solitude is killing us softly.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
On the wrist, the rounded shape is softly comfortable with a small centre link in gold pivoting a soft leather strap, while a slider on the left side of the case opens up a new dimension of audible time-telling.
—Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
In the snap, Culpo smiled softly for the camera while breastfeeding the infant.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
In a breeze, the solar lights sway softly, flickering like fireflies.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The real Ed and Lorraine had close ties to the Church, and they’ve been softly praised and heavily criticized for their controversial work with the occult.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
The golden past always has the sheen of nostalgia, captured in the wide aspect ratio and softly grainy footage of a Hollywood classic.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softly
Adverb
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Meanwhile, Al Horford and the rest of the veterans in Golden State's waiting room are quietly pleading for clarity.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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To address that and open up the experience to more of the workforce at Kennedy, the agency has quietly begun work to establish a new facility.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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It’s made from the sap of the coconut palm, which is harvested, sometimes lightly fermented and blended with sea salt and occasionally with vinegar or water.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
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Pre-treat each stain with a dab of detergent and lightly rub it into the stain.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The porch smells faintly of lime and ginger, and the house hums the way houses do when a good conversation has just ended.—
Gina Pace,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The gallery smells faintly of cinnamon and polished wood.—
Caroline Rogers,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Lift the wiper arms gently and make sure they're held firmly in place.—
Keenan Thompson,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
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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,
18 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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With sensitive skin types in mind, the creamy, fragrance-free formula boasts a simple ingredient list, using glycerin and niacinamide to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and nonstripping micelles— molecules in micellar water—to tenderly wash away dirt and oil.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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The woman has since adopted the kitten—who turned out to be a boy—and shared sweet updates, including videos of him being tenderly bottle-fed.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softly. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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