softly
Americanadverb
-
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.
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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.
Etymology
Origin of softly
First recorded in 1200–50; soft ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
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.
"Young Reble," she says, laughing softly, "was always by herself. No friends. Sitting in one corner. Everybody was like, who's that weird girl?"
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Her daughter said softly: “You guys weren’t worried about her before, so leave her alone now.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Today, Timon sits in a softly lit studio, looking at a photograph from one of their final concerts in Khartoum.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Levy brings a soft-spoken breathlessness you may recognize from his David Rose on “Schitt’s”; his softly muttered “OK,” which might just mean “stop talking,” is almost a trademark.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
Inside, it’s softly lit and smells like a combination of the lavender essential oil mixture we use on the bedding and something pungent and medicinal.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
