as in kindly
with good reason or courtesy
courteously suggested that we try other bookstores
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Recent Examples of courteously
When a visitor arrives in a classroom, a classroom ambassador welcomes them, introduces himself and the subject being taught, and courteously asks for the visitor’s name and affiliation.
—
Walter Fields, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
Walter Fields, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courteously
Adverb
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The co-host and her husband Mark Consuelos had Nikki Glaser on their daytime show on Wednesday, April 22, and seconds into the interview, Ripa kindly pointed out that the comedian's briefs were showing on-air, as seen in a clip shared by Decider.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
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Twenty-five regular-season matches will follow, and Major League Soccer’s kindly playoff format admits 18 of 30 teams.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Our lunches were also always served or packed nicely with cloth placemats, napkins, and silverware.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Apr. 2026
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But if things unfold as nicely in 2027 as well as Gang Green’s haul seemed to go this year, then New York should actually be a legitimate playoff contender by 2028 … or so.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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This is not a call to apply lower standards to those with mental illness, but to apply the existing standards more thoughtfully.—
Jeffrey Freedman,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
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The 100-year-old house has been thoughtfully reworked with whimsical interiors that balance personality and polish alongside the comforts of a modern stay.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
My question is how to politely tell this man to stop.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
28 Apr. 2026
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Over the course of the afternoon, guests laughed about, grappled with, and sometimes politely skirted around the same gendered tropes that have existed for centuries, the conversation turning serious in some moments and silly in others.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Courteously.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courteously. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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