discreetly
Americanadverb
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in a way that is careful about something of a personal or delicate nature; circumspectly.
These protocols allow patients to have private conversations with caregivers in which their questions can be answered discreetly.
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in a way that is not conspicuous or obvious; unobtrusively.
The building is historic, as explained on the understated bronze plaque displayed discreetly in the entryway.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of discreetly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But there are other ways you can leave relatives money discreetly, through a revocable trust that becomes irrevocable upon your death.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
The influence and ethnicities blended in discreetly over the centuries, Guevarra says.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
In my 30 years’ experience in markets—less discreetly focused on oil markets than some of the others here—that has been a dangerous tactic.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
"We very discreetly make PA a part of it and use his 'aura and access'," he wrote.
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026
He pretended to read the piece of paper as he discreetly stuffed the twenty dollars into the cuff of his long-sleeved shirt.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
