Synonyms of ablynext
: 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

Examples of ably in a Sentence

ably maneuvered the boat up to the dock
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Marianna Gailus and Sepideh Moafi (The Pitt) ably perform the others, but Jackman is stunning as a man failing to balance love and lust. Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026 The exhibition still ably singles out punk artists and groups with Jewish heritage like the Patti Smith Group, Blondie, Richard Hell, the Dictators and Suicide, as well as band managers, label executives, club owners and photographers who were part of the scene. Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 Driver ably brings the heartbreak in Paper Tiger, though Johansson’s no slouch in a less ornate but no less harrowing role that involves her character having a health scare and having to develop a very different perspective on the future. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 May 2026 As Harry, Northeast Minneapolis product Nick Dillenburg ably captures a man who worries his best days are behind him, while Ryan Hallahan brings a wise and wary air to Draco. Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ably

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ably was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ably. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

ably

adverb
ˈā-blē
: in an able manner

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