Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [sawft, soft]
- /sɔft, sɒft/
- /ˈsɒftli/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [sawft, soft]
- /sɔft, sɒft/
Definitions of softly word
- adjective softly yielding readily to touch or pressure; easily penetrated, divided, or changed in shape; not hard or stiff: a soft pillow. 1
- adjective softly relatively deficient in hardness, as metal or wood. 1
- adjective softly smooth and agreeable to the touch; not rough or coarse: a soft fabric; soft skin. 1
- adjective softly producing agreeable sensations; pleasant or comfortable: soft slumber. 1
- adjective softly low or subdued in sound; gentle and melodious: soft music; a soft voice. 1
- adjective softly not harsh or unpleasant to the eye; not glaring: soft light; a soft color. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of softly
First appearance:
before 1000 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English softe yielding, gentle, mild, Old English sōfte agreeable; cognate with German sanft
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Softly
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
softly popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
softly usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for softly
adv softly
- agilely — quick and well-coordinated in movement; lithe: an agile leap.
- airily — in a jaunty or high-spirited manner
- blandly — If you do something blandly, you do it in a calm and quiet way.
- breezily — abounding in breezes; windy.
- compassionately — having or showing compassion: a compassionate person; a compassionate letter.
adverb softly
- calmingly — in a calming manner
- charmingly — In a charming manner.
- dimly — not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light: a dim room; a dim flashlight.
- elegantly — Gracefully, smoothly, and swiftly; with supreme style.
- ethereally — In an ethereal manner.
Antonyms for softly
adv softly
- actively — engaged in action; characterized by energetic work, participation, etc.; busy: an active life.
- agonizingly — accompanied by, filled with, or resulting in agony or distress: We spent an agonizing hour waiting to hear if the accident had been serious or not.
- angrily — feeling or showing anger or strong resentment (usually followed by at, with, or about): to be angry at the dean; to be angry about the snub.
- animatedly — full of life, action, or spirit; lively; vigorous: an animated debate on the death penalty.
- assiduously — constant; unremitting: assiduous reading.
adverb softly
- agonisingly — Alternative spelling of agonizingly.
- cumbersomely — In a cumbersome way.
- cumbrously — In a cumbrous manner.
- exhaustingly — In an exhausting manner.
- gruellingly — In a gruelling manner.
Top questions with softly
- who said speak softly and carry a big stick?
- who sings killing me softly?
- who sang killing me softly?
- what does speak softly and carry a big stick mean?
- what does speak softly and carry a big stick?
- who said walk softly and carry a big stick?
- who said speak softly and carry a stick?
- how to play killing me softly?
- what movie was the song killing me softly in?
- who sings the song killing me softly?
- who sang the song killing me softly?
- how to sneeze softly?
- how many movies are in the love comes softly series?
- who sang softly as i leave you?
- how to fuck softly?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with s
- Words starting with so
- Words starting with sof
- Words starting with soft
- Words starting with softl
- Words starting with softly