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Glite Dictionary
coyly

coyly

4 6.0
In a shy, playful way that tries to get someone's attention
  • adverb
  • /ˈkɔɪli/
translation icon : coquetamente
  • "He asked if she'd like to dance, and she coyly nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed."

Isom coyly didn't take part in the competition.

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Examples

  • Ringed hands are arranged coyly under her chin, though she doesn't smile.

    Academic text (2003)

  • When she realized that he was standing over her, his hands on his hips, she smiled coyly, lips united and eyebrows raised.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • "Well," she said coyly, "perhaps something could be arranged."

    Fiction book (1995)

  • "And men?" she asked coyly, her small teeth bared.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • "No, sir, not very much," she replies coyly, keeping her eyes lowered.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Her eyes were downcast, looking coyly from under her thin brows at Patricia.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • "And Gerald Luftweiller?" Libby smiled coyly, as if I had asked her a slightly naughty question.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • At the top of the aisle, Beatrice pauses momentarily and glances coyly across to Alsemaro, before moving out of frame.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • "When he complimented her dress, she smiled coyly and looked down at her feet."

  • "At the party, she coyly tossed her hair over one shoulder, catching everyone's attention."

Synonyms

shyly
vscoyly
15 1.0

Behave in a quiet, nervous way around other people

is intended to attract playfully rather than only being timid
demurely
vscoyly
3 6.1

In a quiet, modest way that shows shyness

is meant to be alluring and playful rather than only reserved
coquettishly
vscoyly
1 9.5

Acting in a playful way to attract someone's attention

is more modest and playful rather than openly flirtatious
simperingly
vscoyly
9.9

In a shy, silly way that shows little confidence

is more genuinely shy while trying to seem playful and attractive

Antonyms

bluntly
40 4.6

In a direct way that is not polite

How Coy

coquettishly
1 9.5
coyly
4 6.0
bashfully
1 3.5
shyly
15 1.0

Surface Forms

coyly positive

Morphology

coyly = coy (transparent) = coy + ly

The adverb is a straightforward formation from the adjective 'coy' with the productive suffix '-ly', so its meaning is predictable from the base.

Etymology

Coyly comes from coy, which originally meant 'quiet' or 'silent', a meaning you can see in the English word quiet. So to act coyly is to be quietly shy or to pretend not to show everything, often in a playful or attractive way.