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

• 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

As for the sport itself, Safdie illustrates it ably but impersonally. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025

Purdy missed Week 2 due to a toe injury, and QB2 Mac Jones filled in ably by completing 26 of 39 pass attempts and throwing for 279 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. —Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025

And Mason Yang — who shares the role of Jim Hawkins with Truman Bednar — ably guides us through our protagonist’s transformation. —Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 15 Sep. 2025

When the film really flips its tone about halfway through, O’Connor ably carries that twist. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ably

• bubbly
• doubly
• stably

Kids Definition

ably

adverb

ˈā-blē

: in an able manner