softly
Americanadverb
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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.
As the men spoke softly, one of them spun a small shaft on a flat piece of wood, sliding his palms back and forth and made a small fire that quickly built into a flame.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
Romvari weeps as she spreads them out on a table, saying “hi” softly to her brothers.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
The victim was quiet in a different way - speaking softly and with dignity as she relived events from 23 years ago.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Guests settle into the main dining room, the bar or the softly lit “booth room,” an intimate space lined with two-seater booths.
From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026
“Sadako chan,” her mother said softly, “we aren’t leaving until seven-thirty. You can sit quietly until it is time to go.”
From "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr
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.
