coyly

American  

[koi-lee] / ˈkɔɪ li /

adverb

1. in a hesitant or indirect manner.

   The painting shows an eighteenth-century lady flirting with a coyly blushing young knight.

2. in a shy or modest manner.

   She read the note and thanked him coyly.

3. in a way that shows usually insincere or affected reluctance.

   When asked about the movie, she coyly replied, "It's a big secret; I’m not going to tell anybody."

---

Other Word Forms

• overcoyly adverb
• uncoyly adverb

Etymology

Origin of coyly

coy ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

"Well, he's a top dog in 2025 - absolutely, yeah," Shearer replies coyly, before the pair and Gary Lineker erupt into fits of giggles.

From BBC

Asked about the number of different variations for driven line-outs England have in their arsenal, Deacon replies coyly "a lot".

From BBC

The pair look at each other coyly, nervously giggling - there has been no announcement of Colman being involved in the films.

From BBC

The title wraps itself coyly around its three tennis-star lead characters, aptly describing the personal and professional entanglements to come.

From Los Angeles Times

A beaming Murray coyly waved his appreciation and thanked them for the reception.

From BBC