gently vs softly

gently and softly both are adverbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
gently	No	No	No	Yes
softly	No	No	No	Yes

As adverbs, gently and softly are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of gently include lightly.

gently (adverb)	softly (adverb)
gradually	with low volume
in a gentle manner	with little weight or force
with little weight or force	used as a direction in music; to be played relatively softly
	in a manner that is pleasing to the senses