faintly

Faintly is an adverb describing something perceived or expressed in a weak or subdued way, signaling only slight intensity or clarity. It can modify verbs, adjectives, or participles, as in: The lamp shone faintly through the curtains. She spoke faintly, hoping not to wake the others.

Etymology and usage: The word is formed from the adjective faint with the common adverb suffix -ly, making it a standard, widely used modifier in both formal and informal prose.

Faintly often refers to sensory perception that is not fully discernible—light, sound, scent, taste, or color—and can extend to intangible impressions such as memory or emotion: a faintly remembered tune; a faintly sweet aroma.

It sits among synonyms such as slightly, dimly, subtly, and barely, and contrasts with clearly or distinctly. Typical collocations include faintly audible, faintly glowing, faintly hopeful.

In literature and journalism, faintly helps convey nuance, restraint, or ambiguity without asserting full perception.