softly
Translation
softly, gently, quietly
Examples
She spoke softly to the child.
She spoke softly to the child.
He closed the door softly.
He closed the door softly.
The snow fell softly on the ground.
The snow fell softly on the ground.
Grammar Patterns
modifies a ((verb)) She spoke softly.
Similar Words
Synonyms: gently, quietly; Antonyms: loudly, harshly
Etymology
From the adjective 'soft' plus the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'.
Memory Tips
Think of something soft, like a feather, landing softly. The '-ly' ending tells you it's describing an action.