gently
JEHNT-lee
Gently (adv) means Softly or lightly, without force or roughness. Example: “Gently stir the sauce so it does not splash.”
adv
1
Softly or lightly, without force or roughness.
"Gently stir the sauce so it does not splash."
"He gently closed the door so as not to wake the baby."
"She gently placed the vase back on the shelf."
2
Quietly and smoothly, with little noise or sudden movement.
"Snow drifted gently down onto the quiet street."
"The train pulled gently out of the station."
"The boat rocked gently on the calm water."
How to use gently
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIn a soft, careful, or mild way.
Common pairings
gently squeeze
ease gently into
rock gently
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Word forms
- Comparative
- gentlier, more gently
- Superlative
- gentliest, most gently
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ stir the sauce so it does not splash.
Etymology
From Middle English gentilly/gentilliche, built from gentle plus the adverb suffix -ly.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for gently
recently
fluently
urgently
silently
intently
patently
decently
currently
fervently
patiently
evidently
presently
See all rhymes for gently →
Frequently asked questions
What does “gently” mean?
The word “gently” means softly or lightly, without force or roughness. In plain terms, in a soft, careful, or mild way.
How do you pronounce “gently”?
“Gently” is pronounced JEHNT-lee ([ˈd͡ʒɛ̃ɾ̃li] in IPA).
How do you use “gently” in a sentence?
Here is “gently” used in a sentence: “He gently closed the door so as not to wake the baby.”
What is the opposite of “gently”?
The opposite of “gently” — its antonyms — is roughly.
What part of speech is “gently”?
“Gently” is an adverb.
Where does the word “gently” come from?
The word “gently” comes from Middle English. From Middle English gentilly/gentilliche, built from gentle plus the adverb suffix -ly.
Is “gently” a common word?
“Gently” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “gently” have?
“Gently” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: softly or lightly, without force or roughness.
What is the difference between gently and softly?
The two overlap, but 'softly' most often describes sound or touch, as in 'speak softly', while 'gently' emphasises care and lack of force in an action, as in 'gently close the door' or 'handle the parcel gently'. Something done gently is done without roughness; something done softly is done quietly or lightly.
Is it 'gentler' or 'more gently'?
'Gentler' is the comparative of the adjective gentle, used to describe nouns: 'a gentler voice'. For the adverb gently, use 'more gently' to compare actions: 'speak more gently'. Saying 'speak gentler' is common in casual speech but nonstandard in careful writing.
When should you use gently instead of carefully?
Use 'gently' when the point is light physical force or softness, as in 'pat the dough gently'. Use 'carefully' when the point is attention and avoiding mistakes or danger, as in 'read the contract carefully'. You can carry something carefully but still not gently, so the words are not interchangeable.
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