adverb
- With low volume.
- usage: "speak softly but carry a big stick"; "she spoke quietly to the child"; "the radio was playing softly"
- synonyms: quietly
- In a manner that is pleasing to the senses.
- usage: "she smiled softly"
- With little weight or force.
- usage: "she kissed him lightly on the forehead"
- Used as a direction in music; to be played relatively softly.
- synonyms: piano
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). softly. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/softly/definitions/1253359 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "softly" http://smartdefine.org/softly/definitions/1253359 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, softly, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/softly/definitions/1253359>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "softly" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/softly/definitions/1253359> |