quietly

British  

/ ˈkwaɪətlɪ /

adverb

1. in a quiet manner

2. between you and me; confidentially

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Explanation

Doing anything quietly means doing it while making very little noise. When you sneak down to the kitchen for that last piece of pie, you should tiptoe quietly past the rooms of your sleeping siblings. If the librarian frowns at you, puts a finger to his lips, and says "Shhhh!", it means he would like you to speak more quietly while you're in the library. Use this adverb for anything you do in a soft, hushed, or faint way. Whisper quietly when you don't want to be overheard, and chew your food quietly unless you really want to irritate your brother.

Example Sentences

Shorn of sentimentality, this gentle drama follows a quietly observant fifth-grader who feels the grim shadow of mortality all around her.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

The trip passed pleasantly and as we entered the London station, all preparing to head off, she leaned over and quietly said, “That’s what I love about you Americans. You talk on trains.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

A notable milestone was quietly reached, according to the April construction-spending report released by the Census Bureau on Monday: construction spending on data centers has overtaken public spending on transportation.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

And so it looks like that unlike Salah and Robertson last week, Konate will quietly exit through the back door.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

But before she could answer, Duane, who was quietly observing everybody, spoke up.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• privately
• secretly