gingerly 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjin-jər-lē How to pronounce gingerly (audio)
Definition of gingerlynext
as in careful
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble gave the cork on the bottle of champagne a gingerly twist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gingerly

2 of 2

adverb

as in carefully

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gingerly
Adjective
Despite the satisfaction that handlers take in gingerly nursing pangolins back to their full strength, the center’s location and the handlers’ identities must remain a secret. — Kang-Chun Cheng, Christian Science Monitor, 9 July 2025 Unlike the gingerly approach to easing restrictions targeting the spread of the virus, the country is split over reopening businesses and schools. — Kendall Karson, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2021
Adverb
The new statement is also worded gingerly, but the outcome is clear. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026 In the footage, the cat gingerly ambles around near the bridge’s edge. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gingerly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gingerly
  1. careful
  2. carefully
  3. wary
  4. formally
  5. cautious
  6. methodically
  7. orderly
  8. systematically
Adjective
  • Kurz said that the field team put careful consideration into selecting each site.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Steve Bardens/Getty Images Brighton & Hove Albion must be careful that the chill of winter does not arrive much earlier than normal for them this season in the Conference League.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of careful
Adverb
  • The crawl space had to do certain things, and the actor had to move in a certain way, so it was engineered pretty carefully.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For smaller sections like the backsplash, carefully apply the sealer with an application brush, making sure to only get into the grout lines.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of carefully
Adjective
  • Moscow, meanwhile, is widely seen as remaining wary of opening the door for Chinese security engagement in the Arctic, hoping instead that China will continue to buy up energy and broaden its role building out a lucrative NSR.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Some investors are wary that alternative data management system PostgreSQL could steal market share from MongoDB, driving down the stock by more than 40% in the first quarter, Ikeda said.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of wary
Adverb
  • Egg freezing, formally called oocyte preservation, is one of the clearest ways to extend a woman’s childbearing years.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Then-Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell threatened to sue Redd for $1 million, and a lawsuit was formally brought in a breach of contract suit in March.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of formally
Adjective
  • Officials were urging residents to be cautious as the hurricane approached.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Despite expert consensus ranking him QB2 (31st overall), there's reason to be cautious.
    — Steve Bradshaw, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adverb
  • Mendoza went three and out on his third drive, but then methodically marched the offense down the field before stalling.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After methodically growing its business over nearly three decades and doing periodic tuck-in acquisitions, Lionsgate has assembled 20,000 film and TV titles in its library, which topped $1 billion in revenue in the most recent fiscal year.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of methodically
Adverb
  • The man worked as a hospital orderly, according to the AP.
    — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
  • Policymakers have moved to keep the selloff orderly.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of orderly
Adverb
  • Economists studying the post-recession years have found this asymmetry systematically rewarded people who already owned capital before the crash and penalized everyone who didn’t yet have any.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Effective succession planning is less about identifying a successor and more about systematically building leadership capability across the organization.
    — Blazy Flash, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of systematically

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Cite this Entry

“Gingerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gingerly. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of gingerly for Spanish Speakers

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