tenderly
Americanadverb
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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.
-
in an affectionate, loving, or kindhearted way.
He looked down tenderly at his baby daughter.
-
sensitively or carefully, as to avoid pain.
Moving tenderly, she attempted to raise herself from the floor where she had fallen.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tenderly
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.
Like many things in the book, I have to write about it tenderly, even though I know there are so many problems.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026
Those concepts interlace in his ossuary, enlivened when he plays his tenderly kept records, remnants of human joy all but lost to a Rage pestilence.
From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026
Maybe there was a memo sent round the royal households of Europe, but many of this year's Christmas cards seem to have similar images of showing their families holding on to each other tenderly.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
At last, those feelings are tenderly communicated here.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025
“Do not talk about it,” he said tenderly, “unless you must.”
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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.
