faintly
Just barely there
Faintly means in a faint manner—weakly, dimly, or barely perceptibly.
A sound heard faintly is almost too quiet to make out.
Something faintly visible can just barely be seen.
The word often suggests something at the edge of perception: The room smelled faintly of cigarettes.
Faintly can also mean slightly or somewhat: a faintly ridiculous suggestion, faintly amused.
With weak illumination
palely · dully · shadowy · obscurely · indistinctly · vaguely · twilit · gloaming
To a minor extent
- delicatelyIn a careful, subtle manner
- imperceptiblyBelow detection threshold
- softlyWith little volume
- gentlyIn a mild manner
lightly · finely · nuanced · understated · minutely · hint · trace · suggestion
With little volume
- quietlyWithout making noise
- murmuringSpeaking softly, indistinctly
- whisperingBreathy, near-silent speech
- hushedReduced to silence
muffled · inaudibly · distantly · muttering · low · subdued · mumbling · faded
Obscured by vapor
- foggyObscured by vapor
- blurredIndistinct, lacking clarity
- smokyFilled with combustion haze
- veiledConcealed or obscured
clouded · nebulous · indistinct · fuzzy · bleary · gauzy · diffuse · smudged
Brief, faint smell
- traceMinute remnant or pursue
- hintIndirect suggestion
- waftingFloating through air
- lingeringRemaining beyond expected duration
perfumed · aromatic · fragrant · redolent · nose · sniff · emanating · detectable
Without vigor or power
- wanlyFeebly, without energy
- weaklyWithout much force
- pallidlyIn a colorless manner
- listlesslyWithout energy or interest
languidly · tremulously · shakily · unsteadily · tiredly · frailly · tenuously · precariously
Giving off steady light
- shimmeringGleaming with wavering light
- gleamingReflecting light brightly
- luminousEmitting or reflecting light
- flickeringShining unsteadily, intermittently
twinkling · phosphorescent · iridescent · glinting · shining · lustrous · pearlescent · opalescent
dimly
With weak illumination
weakly · palely · dully · shadowy · obscurely · indistinctly · vaguely · twilit · gloaming · murky
slightly
To a minor extent
- delicatelyIn a careful, subtle manner
- imperceptiblyBelow detection threshold
- softlyWith little volume
gently · lightly · finely · nuanced · understated · minutely · hint · trace · suggestion · touch
softly
With little volume
- quietlyWithout making noise
- murmuringSpeaking softly, indistinctly
- whisperingBreathy, near-silent speech
hushed · muffled · inaudibly · distantly · muttering · low · subdued · mumbling · faded · echoing
misty
Obscured by vapor
veiled · clouded · nebulous · indistinct · fuzzy · bleary · gauzy · diffuse · smudged · unfocused
whiff
Brief, faint smell
lingering · perfumed · aromatic · fragrant · redolent · nose · sniff · emanating · detectable · discernible
feebly
Without vigor or power
listlessly · languidly · tremulously · shakily · unsteadily · tiredly · frailly · tenuously · precariously · falteringly
glowing
Giving off steady light
- shimmeringGleaming with wavering light
- gleamingReflecting light brightly
- luminousEmitting or reflecting light
flickering · twinkling · phosphorescent · iridescent · glinting · shining · lustrous · pearlescent · opalescent · lambent
faintlystrongly
With much force
intensely · powerfully · forcefully · extremely · considerably
- not have the faintestLack any understanding
- faint of heartEasily unnerved or frightened
- feel faint
- fainting spellsTemporary loss of consciousness
- damn with faint praiseUndercut through tepid approval
- faint light
faint, fainting, faints, fainted, faintness, fainter, faintest, fainthearted