coyly

[ koi-lee ]

adverb

1. in a hesitant or indirect manner:

   The painting shows an eighteenth-century lady flirting with a coyly blushing young knight.

2. in a shy or modest manner:

   She read the note and thanked him coyly.

3. in a way that shows usually insincere or affected reluctance:

   When asked about the movie, she coyly replied, "It's a big secret; I’m not going to tell anybody."

Other Words From

• o·ver·coy·ly adverb
• un·coy·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of coyly¹

coy ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

He also hinted, coyly, that he might beat the Democrats “for a third time” in 2024.

From BBC

Then a smirking Trump coyly admits what a bad boy he is and repeats his slurs and slights — but even worse.

From Salon

A beaming Murray coyly waved his appreciation and thanked them for the reception.

From BBC

The ad also coyly denies long working hours, and promises all workers are paid, “Even ones with wrong religion.”

From Los Angeles Times

But on Jimmy Kimmel’s show, Daniels implied the signature wasn’t hers and coyly answered questions about the allegations.

From BBC