Discreetly
/dɪˈskriːtli/
adverbB2adverb form
Definition
Discreetly means acting in a way that is careful and does not attract attention. It is often used when someone wants to keep something secret or avoid causing trouble. Doing something discreetly means being polite and respectful about private or sensitive matters.
Was this helpful?
⚡ See It in Action
Acting quietly and carefully to avoid attention or trouble
- •She discreetly passed the note to her friend during class.
- •He discreetly left the room to avoid disturbing the meeting.
- •They discreetly discussed the surprise party plans.
Handling sensitive or private matters with respect and caution
- •The doctor discreetly explained the test results to the patient.
- •Please handle this information discreetly to protect privacy.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "discreetly" like "quietly," but with more care to avoid being noticed or causing problems.
- ✓Picture someone whispering a secret or closing a door softly so no one hears.
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to help a friend but don’t want others to see or know.
- ✓Sounds like "this CREE TLEE" → imagine a quiet, careful person creeping gently so nobody hears.
- ✓Imagine a spy or detective moving without making noise to keep their actions secret.
- ✓NOT like "loudly" (makes noise and draws attention), "discreetly" means the opposite—low profile and careful.
- ✓NOT like "carelessly" (without thought), "discreetly" means thoughtful and careful about what you do.
- ✓NOT like "secretly" (which means hidden), "discreetly" focuses on being polite and careful, not just hiding.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Secretly: doing something hidden or not known by others (Use when focusing on hiding the action completely)
- •Carefully: doing something with attention and caution (Use when focus is on safety or accuracy rather than avoiding attention)
- •Quietly: doing something with little or no noise (Use when noise level is the main concern)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "dis-" (not or away) + root "creet" from Latin "discretus" meaning separate or distinct + suffix "-ly" (makes adverb)
- •Etymology: From Latin "discretus," meaning separate, distinct, or careful; evolved in English to mean careful and tactful behavior
- •Historical development: Originally meant "separate" or "distinct," later came to mean careful or prudent behavior in the 15th century
- •Modern usage: Used to describe actions done carefully to avoid attention or offense, especially in social or private situations
💭 Reflect & Connect
•When is it important to act discreetly in your daily life? Can you think of a time you had to be discreet?
•How does acting discreetly help in building trust with others?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.She discreetly ___ the message to avoid making others notice the conversation.
2.To protect the surprise, they planned the event ___ without telling the birthday person.
3.Unlike loudly announcing, he spoke discreetly to show ___ for others’ feelings.
4.The manager handled the complaint discreetly ___ to keep the employee’s privacy.
5.When sharing sensitive information, it is important to do so discreetly and ___.
6.If you act too openly, you may lose the chance to be discreetly ___ in difficult situations.
7.They discreetly exchanged ___ during the meeting to avoid drawing attention.