as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner
ably maneuvered the boat up to the dock
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Recent Examples of ably
After all, Denver has all five starters back from last year, is paying all of them handsomely and has built a developmental group in Palczewski, Crum and Forsyth behind that have all stepped into games ably.
—
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
Saturday’s second episode, for which ratings dipped slightly, featured a cold open roasting the former Prince Andrew and was ably steered by host Jamie Dornan, who appeared in sketches including a horror comedy about Jools Holland.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
String player Matt Worley often stole the spotlight, making his banjo sound like a mandolin, while cellist Barney Morse-Brown ably covered the bass role, plucking the strings more often than bowing them.
—Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Marcus Smart, who didn’t take a shot in the first three quarters, ably stepped into an open corner three in the fourth for the first of his seven points down the stretch.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ably
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
Saturday’s second episode, for which ratings dipped slightly, featured a cold open roasting the former Prince Andrew and was ably steered by host Jamie Dornan, who appeared in sketches including a horror comedy about Jools Holland.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
String player Matt Worley often stole the spotlight, making his banjo sound like a mandolin, while cellist Barney Morse-Brown ably covered the bass role, plucking the strings more often than bowing them.
—Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Marcus Smart, who didn’t take a shot in the first three quarters, ably stepped into an open corner three in the fourth for the first of his seven points down the stretch.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ably
Adverb
-
With stories focused on surviving rowdy family, moments of loneliness, struggles with faith, and navigating our deepest human relationships, Johnson’s abilities as a pensive storyteller are conducted masterfully.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
22 May 2026
-
Amusingly, the immensely powerful, magical object is treated with nonchalance by the New Age store employees, the tone masterfully shifting from comedy sketch to disturbing horror.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Adverb
-
Most notably, the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab or CSAIL, directed capably by my colleague Daniela Rus, is in there, where intrepid teams work on such vanguard projects as liquid AI models.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
-
Soto has capably shifted into the closer role, moving Dennis Santana into setup duty.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Adverb
-
In any case, preventing such an outcome has less to do with the size of America’s munitions stockpile than with coming up with a realistic strategy that skillfully mixes diplomacy, economic statecraft, strong alliances, and a capable military focused on defense rather than global interventionism.—
William Hartung,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
-
On the Senate floor, they can be seen skillfully maneuvering around lawmakers, stenotype machines hanging from their necks.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
22 May 2026
Adverb
-
The significance of beef here extends well beyond economics and cuisines, but historians often describe Texas’ barbecue culture as a reflection of the state’s layered immigration history – traditions brought by communities that shaped Texas over generations.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Cans block harmful light better than bottles, whose long necks can allow light and oxygen that speed up aging.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Adverb
-
Each person held their sarongs in different ways, over both shoulders or draped on one, around their necks, balled up in a fist, placed neatly on a lap.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
Some elements of Maximum Pleasure aren’t as neatly tucked into the show’s larger thriller mechanic, the most distracting being Jake Johnson as Paula’s ex-husband.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
27 May 2026
Adverb
-
Why can’t San Francisco’s officials competently replace its trash cans?—
Steven Greenhut,
Washington Post,
6 May 2026
-
Outlays old and new need to be justified and competently managed.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Our colleges and universities should train students to expertly navigate the oceans of data and imagery to which they’re continually exposed.—
Rajiv Vinnakota,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
The bar program features an entirely Mexican wine list mostly from Baja California, Mexico, expertly paired to the menu.—
Nathanael Gassett,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 May 2026
Adverb
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While Malek takes center stage, Sturridge works deftly in the spaces around him, offering a quiet, understated and yet deeply moving performance.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
22 May 2026
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The rotisserie chicken was deftly seasoned and generously sized.—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ably. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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