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.
-
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
Security officials dressed in Barbour jackets and earpieces discreetly corralled the crowd.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
Shortly after, bystander footage, discreetly filmed by a camp resident, picks up from the other direction to the CCTV.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026
In late October 1925, he was meeting with the governor of Oklahoma, discreetly discussing the case.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
