demurely

IPA/dɪˈmjʊəli/
KK[dɪmjˈʊrli]IPA/dɪˈmjʊrli/

demurely — adverb

1. if someone, especially a woman, behaves demurely, she acts in a soft, modest, an

1.adverbC1
Definition

if someone, especially a woman, behaves demurely, she acts in a soft, modest, and well-mannered way, often looking down or smiling slightly so as not to draw attention to herself.

Example

Adina lowered her eyes demurely when the photographer asked her to pose for the camera.

verb + demurely modifying physical action

The bride smiled demurely at her guests as she walked down the aisle of the small chapel.

demurely with a smile/facial expression

Common collocations
  • smile demurely
  • nod demurely
  • look down demurely
  • answer demurely
  • sit demurely
Synonyms
  • modestly

    very close in meaning, but more general and not limited to women

  • primly

    stronger sense of being overly proper or formal

  • coyly

    emphasises pretended shyness, often flirtatious

  • meekly

    stresses submission or lack of resistance rather than modesty

Antonyms
  • boldly

    with confidence and no hesitation

  • brazenly

    shamelessly and without shyness

Usage Note

Almost always used of women or girls, often with a slightly old-fashioned or literary feel; sometimes hints that the modest behaviour is partly for show. Common collocations are verbs of looking, smiling, speaking, or eating — not loud or assertive actions.

Common Mistakes

He shouted demurely at the crowd.
He spoke quietly to the crowd.
demurely describes soft, modest behaviour, so it cannot pair with shouting or other loud actions.
She walked demurely into the meeting and slammed the door.
She walked demurely into the meeting and closed the door softly.
demurely sets a quiet, restrained tone that contradicts forceful follow-up actions.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All five describe quiet, non-assertive behaviour, but they differ in tone and target. 'Modestly' is the most neutral and the only one used freely of both men and women, often about achievements as well as manner ('she spoke modestly about her award'). 'Demurely' is almost always used of women or girls and adds a soft, well-mannered, slightly old-fashioned feel — think of someone smiling demurely with eyes lowered. 'Primly' suggests a stiffer, more proper formality, sometimes faintly disapproving ('she sat primly on the edge of the chair'). 'Coyly' hints at pretended or playful shyness, often flirtatious. 'Meekly' shifts the focus to submissiveness — accepting orders without protest, as in 'he meekly handed over the keys'.

demurely ↗modestly ↗primlycoylymeekly ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • smile demurely
  • nod demurely
  • look down demurely
  • answer demurely
  • sit demurely

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Demurely is the adverb form of the adjective 'demure', which appeared in English in the late 1300s meaning 'sober, serious'. 'Demure' itself most likely comes from the Old French 'meur' ('mature, ripe'), traced back to the Latin 'maturus' ('ripe, fully developed'), with an added prefix 'de-'. Over the centuries the meaning narrowed from 'serious and grave' to today's sense of a quietly modest, well-behaved manner, most often applied to women.