tenderly

[ ten-der-lee ]

adverb

1. in a soft and gentle way:

   He took time to polish his new leather shoes tenderly with his handkerchief.

   The wind we hated so much while climbing is now tenderly drying the sweat from our brows.

2. in an affectionate, loving, or kindhearted way:

   He looked down tenderly at his baby daughter.

3. sensitively or carefully, as to avoid pain:

   Moving tenderly, she attempted to raise herself from the floor where she had fallen.

Other Words From

• un·ten·der·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenderly¹

tender ¹( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook the beans until they are tender and almost falling apart, 30 to 45 minutes.

From Washington Post

Roasted onions, mushrooms or other vegetables, tender and caramelized, can be pureed right into the gravy and will thicken it as well as add flavor.

From Washington Post

Continue to roast, uncovered, about 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender, the stuffing has lightly browned and the broccolini stem pieces are crisp-tender.

From Washington Post

Inward, we were kicked and shoved for being too tender amongst our own.

From MIT Technology Review

Neumann had previously sued SoftBank when it terminated a $3 billion tender offer in which he was set to sell many of his WeWork shares.

From Fortune

I held it in my arms until the alarm in the safe rang harshly, and then tenderly, proudly, I replaced it and shut the steel doors.

From The Daily Beast

I first glimpsed 11-year-old Yussef Mohamed tenderly cleaning the face of someone wounded.

From The Daily Beast

Not since Bill Clinton has the middle class been so tenderly wooed.

From The Daily Beast

The models walked with a fistful of red roses, tenderly tossing them onto the bed-bound boys as they turned a corner.

From The Daily Beast

He and Rosemary kiss tenderly as Blue is handcuffed behind his back and taken out of the cell.

From The Daily Beast

Women pitied him, and gazed at him tenderly, wondering if a man could look like that for anything save the loss of a sweetheart.

From Project Gutenberg

The dear old creature p. 42was really shocked at our backsliding; but she nursed Tom very tenderly all the same.

From Project Gutenberg

The men lift his body tenderly and carry it to the place where the tame buffaloes have been left.

From Project Gutenberg

Sick with jealousy and spite, she bowed as she passed, trying to look eighteen, and tenderly reproachful.

From Project Gutenberg

But most of them remembered tenderly the first school society of which they had been members.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• carefully
• delicately
• gently
• gingerly
• lightly