Softly

//ˈsɔftli// adv

adv ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adverb

1
In a soft manner; gently.
"The masseuse was rubbing my back too softly for my liking, so I asked her to go harder."
2
Not loudly; nearly inaudibly.
"whisper softly in someone's ear"
3
With subdued color; faded or misty with distance.
"And they sat very still, the two of them, and looked out over that great, beautiful desert—away to the home mesa that they could see, softly blue, in the distance."

Adverb

1
with low volume wordnet
2
with little weight or force wordnet
3
used as a direction in music; to be played relatively softly wordnet
4
in a manner that is pleasing to the senses wordnet

Synonyms

gently low a la sourdine compliantly delicately dimly

Antonyms

Example

"The mother laid her baby on the bed softly."

Etymology

From Middle English softely, softeliche, equivalent to soft + -ly.

Related phrases

softly softly speak softly and carry a big stick talk softly and carry a big stick tread softly tread-softly walk softly and carry a big stick softly softly

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.