Faintly
/ˈfeɪntli/
adverbB1
Definition
Faintly describes how something is done with very little strength, brightness, sound, or feeling. It means something is weak or hard to notice, like a soft sound or a light color that is difficult to see clearly.
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See It in Action
In a weak or soft way, especially for sounds, smells, colors, or feelings.
- •I could faintly hear music coming from the next room.
- •The room was faintly lit by the moonlight through the window.
- •She smiled faintly, showing a little happiness.
Slightly or a little bit; not strong or obvious.
- •There was a faintly sweet smell in the air.
- •He looked faintly surprised by the news.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "faintly" like "a little" or "slightly," but specifically when something is weak or soft, not strong or clear.
- ✓Picture a small candle flame in a dark room that gives just a little light, not bright.
- ✓It's the feeling when you hear someone whispering far away—you can barely hear them.
- ✓Sounds like "faint-ly" → imagine a faint (weak) light or sound gently touching your ears or eyes.
- ✓Think of a fog that makes things look soft and unclear, not sharp or bright.
- ✓NOT like "loudly" (strong sound), "faintly" means soft or weak sound or light.
- ✓NOT like "clearly" (easy to see or hear), "faintly" means hard to see or hear.
- ✓NOT like "brightly" (strong light), "faintly" means dim or weak light.
Try Other Words
- •Softly: in a gentle or quiet way (Use when describing sounds or actions done quietly)
- •Dimly: with low light or unclear visibility (Use when talking about weak light or unclear vision)
- •Weakly: in a weak or not strong way (Use for feelings, sounds, or actions that lack strength)
- •Lightly: gently or with little force (Use when something is done with little pressure or intensity)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "faint" (weak, unclear) + suffix "-ly" (makes an adverb, meaning "in a way that is")
- •Etymology: "Faint" comes from Old French "feint" meaning weak or feeble
- •Historical development: "Faintly" has been used since the 16th century to describe something done with little strength or clarity
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe weak sounds, light, feelings, or small amounts of something
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you noticed something only faintly? How did that affect your understanding or feeling?
•How does using "faintly" change the meaning of a sentence compared to using "clearly" or "strongly"?
Fill in the blanks
1.I could faintly ___ the sound of birds singing early in the morning.
2.The room was faintly ___ by the light from the streetlamp outside.
3.She smiled faintly, which showed she was ___ happy but not very excited.
4.The smell of fresh bread was faintly ___ through the open window.
5.Unlike loudly spoken words, faintly spoken words are ___ to hear clearly.
6.When the fog was thick, I could only see the shapes faintly ___ in the distance.
7.He looked faintly ___ when he heard the unexpected news.