as in courteously
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Recent Examples of politely
As seen in a video shared to X by Lizzie Robinson of ITV, the Princess of Wales politely said hello to a patient there, asked her name and made the connection between the woman and William, the heir to the throne.
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Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Fear, hunger and repression did not stop politely at national borders.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Tagovailoa was willing to answer that question on the record but politely declined to comment further.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
One of the biggest criticisms is the lack of flexibility within the defense, which Eberflus politely pushed back against.
—Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
Like its predecessor, the new annex is a sleek, politely glowing object.
—Jackson Arn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
And though not new, the Black and Blue (2025 Mix) by the Rolling Stones barged its way back into my rotation; some obsessions, like certain bands and certain years, refuse to stay politely in the past.
—Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
Even the most situationally unaware neighbor should be able to remain politely quiet in the hope of getting caffeinated.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
From now on, politely refuse her dinner invitations.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 24 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for politely
Adverb
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The training covers how to respectfully engage with participants, how to use the mobile survey app and an overview of the counting process.—
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Aisha kept her eyes respectfully averted.—
Adverb
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He was found to be incompetent to face the charge in August 2023, and later civilly committed for a mental illness.—
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In those cases, talking it over civilly may be enough to come to agreement.—
Adverb
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Naroditsky removes his blindfold and smiles shyly.—
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By way of reply, the kid puffed up his chest and smiled shyly.—
Cite this Entry
“Politely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/politely. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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