gently
gb/d͡ʒˈɛntli/ us/d͡ʒˈɛntli/
A2
English
~ 2300
finoman, szelíden, óvatosan, kedvesen, gyengéden, tapintatosan, enyhén, gyengén
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to [verb] gently
She closed the door gently so as not to wake the baby.
Finoman csukta be az ajtót, hogy ne ébressze fel a babát.
He spoke gently to calm her down.
Szelíden beszélt hozzá, hogy megnyugtassa.
The nurse gently cleaned the wound.
The breeze gently moved the curtains.
He gently placed the cup on the table.
Learner examples
He touched the cat gently.
Finoman megérintette a macskát.
Please close the window gently.
Kérlek, finoman csukd be az ablakot.
She spoke gently to the child.
The teacher gently told him to sit down.
He put the box down gently.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'gently' with 'politely'. 'Gently' describes the manner of action (softly), not social politeness.
Meaning
In a soft or mild way
Collocations
gently touch
|gently push
|gently hold
|gently stir
|gently rock
Synonyms
softly (Focuses more on quietness, especially of sound, rather than physical gentleness.)
|
lightly (Implies minimal pressure or force, sometimes less emotional connotation.)
Antonyms
roughly (Describes doing something with force or without care.)
|
harshly (Implies doing something in a severe or unkind way.)
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a soft and careful way, not hard or loud.
In a way that is soft, light, or not forceful.
B1
2
Usage pattern:
to [verb] gently
She gently explained why his answer was wrong.
Tapintatosan elmagyarázta neki, miért volt rossz a válasza.
He held her hand gently as she cried.
Gyengéden fogta a kezét, miközben ő sírt.
The doctor gently told the patient the results.
The teacher gently corrected the student's mistake.
Learner examples
She spoke gently to her friend.
Kedvesen beszélt a barátjával.
He gently told me the bad news.
Tapintatosan közölte velem a rossz hírt.
The nurse gently told him to rest.
My father gently explained the rules.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with physical softness; here it refers to emotional tone.
Meaning
In a kind and caring way
Collocations
gently remind
|gently encourage
|gently advise
Synonyms
tenderly (Often expresses affection and warmth more strongly than 'gently'.)
|
kindly (Implies moral goodness and benevolence, sometimes more formal.)
Antonyms
cruelly (Doing something in a way that causes pain or distress.)
|
coldly (Without warmth or compassion.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a kind and caring way to someone.
In a way that shows kindness, care, or consideration for someone's feelings.
A2
3
Press the button gently to avoid breaking it.
Finoman nyomd meg a gombot, nehogy eltörd.
He gently squeezed her shoulder.
Finoman megszorította a vállát.
Mix the batter gently so it stays fluffy.
Learner examples
Please press the switch gently.
Kérlek, finoman nyomd meg a kapcsolót.
He gently pushed the chair back.
Finoman hátratolta a széket.
She gently pressed the paper flat.
Meaning
With only slight force or intensity
Collocations
gently press
|gently squeeze
Synonyms
lightly (Nearly identical in some contexts; often interchangeable.)
Antonyms
firmly (With strong pressure or force.)
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Using only a small amount of force or power.
With little force, strength, or intensity applied.
Grammar
Dictionary form
gently
IPA
GB/d͡ʒˈɛntli/
US/d͡ʒˈɛntli/
Syllables & stress
gently (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (gently)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: gently
- Plural: gentlies
Word family
Forms
gentlies
noun
Core family
gentle
adjective A2
gentleness
noun B2
Expressions
gently does it
1/d͡ʒˈɛntli dˈʌz ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
Proceed carefully and slowly
Used to tell someone to do something slowly and carefully.
Examples
- Easy now, gently does it with that glass vase.
- Gently does it—there’s no rush to finish.
go gently into that good night
1/ɡˈoʊ d͡ʒˈɛntli ˈɪntu ðˈæt ɡˈʊd nˈaɪt/
idiom
literary
Accept death peacefully
A poetic way of saying to accept death calmly and without fighting it.
Examples
- The poem urges us not to go gently into that good night.
- He refused to go gently into that good night, fighting illness until the end.