Synonyms

gracefully

American

[greys-fuh-lee] / ˈgreɪs fə li /

adverb

in a way characterized by elegance or beauty of form, manner, movement, or speech.

She is as strong and fit as one of those gracefully sleek and beautiful racehorses you see galloping toward the finish line.
It's wise to coach children on how to gracefully handle being presented with an unwanted gift.

Other Word Forms

nongracefully adverb

Etymology

Origin of gracefully

graceful ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Live pictures showed the capsule push gracefully away, homeward bound.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

After competitions, Gu is the one every media outlet wants to speak to, and she gracefully and politely obliges as she slowly shuffles through the mixed zone.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

As Franny Forst, unaccountably married to the Corporation, Isabella Rosselini provides in her person the argument for aging gracefully.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

Since this is Rubio’s baby, perhaps he gracefully took a backseat.

From Salon • Jan. 8, 2026

On Ifemelu’s last visit, she had woken up to see, through the kitchen window, a pair of gracefully galloping deer.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023