gently
324
1.0
- adverb
- /ˈdʒɛntli/
- Please handle the fragile vase gently to avoid breaking it.
- gently remind
- handle gently
- gently but firmly
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Watch on YouTubeRow, row, row your boat gently down the stream.
- Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream.
- So I'm really going to just gently buff that in.
- So first step is gently pull at the edges, right?
Examples
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Row your boat gently down the stream.
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The water was calm, the swell rolling in gently, but the diver seemed nervous.
Fiction book (1990) -
Just pull this down gently and then pull this out.
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I took it off and put it gently on his head.
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Hit it against the rock, gently.
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So now I'm just going to try to just gently do them up.
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And then so you just gently rub this in.
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You will be gently guided towards the tea room.
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Rather, let other peers help out or gently steer in the right direction.
Academic text (2008) -
May I gently inquire as to how much it's worth?
Synonyms
839
1.0
In a way that shows attention and caution to avoid mistakes or harm
161
1.0
In a gentle and caring way
135
1.0
In a gentle way using little force
39
3.7
Gently and carefully to avoid hurting people or breaking things
35
1.0
In a gentle, light way using little force
34
1.0
In a kind, gentle, pleasant way
22
1.6
In a gentle, caring way that shows love
21
4.6
In a very careful, slow way to avoid damage or getting hurt
6
7.3
To treat someone very carefully so you do not upset them
3
5.8
In a kind and gentle way that does no harm
1
4.6
In a gentle, loving way like a soft touch
1
4.2
In a gentle, calm, and pleasant way
To act gently and carefully without using force
Antonyms
How Gentle
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Gently comes from gentle, which long ago meant someone 'of good family' and then 'kind', as in gentleman, and the ending -ly turns it into a word that tells how something is done. So to do something gently is to do it in a 'soft' or 'kind' way.