Synonyms

softly

American

[sawft-lee, soft‐] / sɔft li, sɒft‐ /

adverb

in a low pitch or volume; quietly.

We spoke softly so as not to wake the baby.
Jazz was playing softly in the background.
Music. with a smoothly subdued and gentle sound.

In this passage, the horns exit softly as the violins become more vibrant.
in a way that is neither harsh nor glaring to the eye.

The room was softly lit with a dimmed chandelier and six flickering candles.
in a gentle, warm-hearted, or compassionate manner; tenderly; sympathetically.

She softly embraced her son and reassured him of her love.

First recorded in 1200–50; soft ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For days afterward, I had a jar of deeply savory, softly tangy vegetables ready to scatter over everything.

From Salon

After her program, she softly pumped her fist as if it was just another successful workday.

From Los Angeles Times

“Thirteen years ago,” Angela began softly, “I worked exactly one day at Sky Trails Airlines.”

From Literature

I knock softly and poke my head through the cracked door.

From Literature

Voices drifted out to meet him as he trod softly among the shadows on the grass.

From Literature

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