Politely
/pəˈlaɪtli/
Definitions
In a way that shows good manners; courteously.
/pəˈlaɪtli/
In a manner that shows good manners and respect for others.
She politely declined the offer.
💡 Simply: When you're polite, you're being nice and respectful to others. It's like using your 'please' and 'thank you' words and not interrupting people when they're talking. Like, if you're at a party, and you say 'Excuse me' when you need to walk past someone to get to the snacks, that's being polite!
👶 For kids: Being nice and saying please and thank you.
More Examples
The waiter served us politely.
He politely asked if he could borrow a pen.
How It's Used
"He spoke politely to the customer service representative."
"Please respond politely to the invitation."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Politely put
To express something in a careful and considerate manner, often to soften the impact of potentially negative information.
"Politely put, the project is behind schedule."
From Middle English *politely*, from Old French *poli* ('polished, refined') + -ly (adverbial suffix). Ultimately from Latin *politus* ('polished, refined'), the past participle of *polire* ('to polish').
The word 'politely' has been used in English since the 16th century to describe actions or speech exhibiting good manners and civility. Its usage remains consistent throughout history.
Memory tip
Think of someone being polished and refined in their interactions; they are being polite.
Word Origin
"polished, refined"