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
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
Sherri arose in 2022 after Shepherd ably filled in for Wendy Williams at the end of that show’s run.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 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
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
Sherri arose in 2022 after Shepherd ably filled in for Wendy Williams at the end of that show’s run.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 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
-
Soto has capably shifted into the closer role, moving Dennis Santana into setup duty.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Both machines can be configured with enough memory to capably run large language models locally, with less reliance on the cloud.—
Chris Welch,
Fortune,
2 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
-
That doesn’t bode well for summer road trip plans.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
15 May 2026
-
Several other concerns were raised during the roughly three-hour hearing, including questions about how to best protect visitors and participants from federal immigration raids.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Adverb
-
While the Tory customer of the past felt neatly aligned with the country club aesthetic, the Tory customer today embodies a modern sensibility of polish and dynamism.—
Viv Chen,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Trump’s and Harp’s style fits neatly into the ideal image of the world’s female political leaders, including those in China, Wu said.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
14 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
-
Her makeup, expertly crafted by Suzy Clarke, was pared back in comparison, comprised of doll-like blush and doe eyes.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
22 May 2026
-
Built by Wallmakers, the Bridge House spans 100 feet (30 m) across two streams that have carved a 30-ft (7-m) gorge through the landscape, and expertly combines mud, steel and thatch to create a simple yet functional four-bedroom home.—
Stefan Ionescu
May 20,
New Atlas,
20 May 2026
Adverb
-
At a time when the world seems more absurd than ever, the need has only grown for a deftly incisive voice with the courage to decry truthiness to power, regardless of consequences.—
Eric Deggans,
NPR,
18 May 2026
-
Weaver deftly got out of the jam, then helped his own cause in the eighth with a 3-6-1 double play.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ably. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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