ably

adverb

ˈā-b(ə-)lē 

: in an able and skillful manner : with ability, skill, or proficiency

was ably assisted

This silly comic Christmas romp is ably performed by a cast of 22 actors, led by the high-spirited Danny McBride as the childlike Buddy.

—Matthew Yde

Last year, she ably completed a half-marathon run with only minimal training.

—Zachary Lewis

Synonyms of ably

• masterfully
• capably
• skillfully
• well
• neatly
• competently
• expertly
• deftly
• artfully
• adroitly
• proficiently

Examples of ably in a Sentence

ably maneuvered the boat up to the dock

Recent Examples on the Web

The kitchen is ably led by former River Café head chef Danny Bohan, whose menu draws on French and Italian culinary traditions with highlights like Dorset crab with tomatoes and aioli and sea bass carpaccio. — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

The former Liverpool winger then picked out Mostafa Ziko, who finished ably. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 7 July 2026

To Jordan Flowers, the executive director of the Disclosure Foundation, the film ably dramatizes what his organization has been trying to tell the general public ever since those modern whistleblowers started coming forward ten years ago. — Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 19 June 2026

England's squad is spearheaded by Harry Kane, who is ably supported by the likes of Reece James, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Anthony Gordon. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ably

• bubbly
• doubly
• stably
• indissolubly
• volubly

Kids Definition

ably

adverb

ˈā-blē

: in an able manner