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
Many of the dummies evolved admirably over the competition’s final hour, complete with fine laugh lines and subtle details like creeping wisps of nose hair, which were gingerly applied with tweezers and Krazy Glue. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Zambada, wearing a tan jail suit over an orange T-shirt, walked gingerly as deputy federal marshals escorted him to and from the courtroom, which was packed with drug enforcement agents and prosecution staff. — Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 20 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
  • Getting to that point required careful control of stress during fabrication.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Huntsinger, playing along with Variety’s should-win/will-win Emmy prediction game, drew a careful line.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of careful
Adverb
  • Dry food can also work, but portions should be weighed carefully rather than left out for unlimited grazing.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Each flower must be picked and carefully dissected to remove three tiny red threads, known as stigmas.
    — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of carefully
Adjective
  • The decision suggests the companies believe that foreign investors remain wary of putting new money into the kingdom’s stock exchange, and will likely put off other firms planning IPOs in the short term.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Koreans are wary of methods to turn housing wealth into cash.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of wary
Adverb
  • If the jury still cannot make a decision, the judge can choose to formally give them a special set of instructions known in Massachusetts as the Tuey-Rodriguez charge, which comes from two Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court cases.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Both taught me that leadership must be developed internally, expressed authentically and demonstrated before it is formally recognized.
    — Bala Sathyanarayanan, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of formally
Adjective
  • Florida’s Republican gubernatorial ticket is defying historic trends for a political party traditionally known for elevating white men to leadership positions — even as the GOP remains cautious about drawing attention to the shift.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Bindi, a young female wallaby, is inquisitive and extremely curious, while Wally, a young male wallaby, is more cautious and likes to look at things from afar, Borozenets said.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adverb
  • Even as the hard power of DEI is stripped methodically away, many changes that occurred in the era leading up to Trump’s second term remain exceedingly difficult to revoke.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Waymo has also been methodically placing itself within entertainment culture.
    — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 27 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
  • County investigators say the insurer systematically underpaid and suppressed smoke-damage claims, leaving families unable to afford toxin testing or remediation and turning insurance into a barrier to long-term recovery.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The tenant, in other words, is systematically choosing counterparties that are younger than its own product line.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of systematically

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gingerliness
gingerly
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Cite this Entry

“Gingerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gingerly. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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