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
And Yokohama ably depicts a privileged young man who rightly views his good fortune as both blessing and curse.
—
Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Walker replaced Smith in the post and ably picked up the slack.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
And, speaking of music, Wheeler is ably assisted by an acoustic duo known as Northern Shores, underscoring the story with Celtic elements.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2026
The casting does fantastic worldbuilding, ably finds an actor who can take on a very tricky role, and reminds us all of how good Ralph Fiennes looks in a red hat.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ably
Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Walker replaced Smith in the post and ably picked up the slack.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
And, speaking of music, Wheeler is ably assisted by an acoustic duo known as Northern Shores, underscoring the story with Celtic elements.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2026
The casting does fantastic worldbuilding, ably finds an actor who can take on a very tricky role, and reminds us all of how good Ralph Fiennes looks in a red hat.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ably
Adverb
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Before things unraveled, Latz pitched masterfully, and the Rangers swatted a pair of home runs in regulation to even the season’s first series and win 5-4 on a chilly afternoon.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Jeffries then masterfully wrapped Copeland’s hair into what was meant to appear like an infinite knot.—
Tori Crowther,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Apple's iMac is the pre-eminent all-in-one on the market, a stylish and slick computer that's designed for creative work but capably handles entertainment and productivity as well.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Broncos are high on rising third-year tackle Frank Crum, who filled in capably in spot snaps in 2025 when McGlinchey was temporarily banged up.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Gorton skillfully depicts the grueling decades-long struggle of Sanger (the icon, in this telling) and Dennett (the idealist) to make birth control available and legal, as well as their interpersonal competition for power and influence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
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Adriana Lambarri’s costumes skillfully replicate the actor’s garb in the film while composer/sound designer Jazer Sibley-Schwartz channels at the outset a knowing nod to John Williams’ indelible, two-note cadence of menacing notes announcing the shark’s arrival.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
And the Knicks better be ready, ready for the Celtics to attempt to exact some revenge for the way things ended a season ago.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
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This will better set you up to have a productive conversation with your stepdaughter about what everyone expects going forward.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
None of those things fit neatly into a 30-second video clip.—
Rep. Nick Menapace,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This rhetoric neatly aligns with choice feminism, but the conversation feels similarly labyrinthine.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
However, the larger question is whether San Diegans should trust anyone at City Hall, starting with Mayor Gloria and City Attorney Heather Ferbert, to competently manage anything.—
Hal Valderhaug,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Power loves a vacuum, and Valerie competently steps in to work with other professionals and guide the process to good, if not great, success.—
Jennifer Silverman,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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As my colleague Zach Harper expertly pointed out Wednesday, the rule itself — mandating that any player eligible for a postseason award must play 65 games in a season — looks pretty dumb right now.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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With breezy maxi skirts, flattering barrel jeans, buttery soft cashmere cardigans, and classic boxy tees, the selection feels expertly curated for easy dressing.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Over the last 25 years, Nolan has delivered film after film that deftly balances mainstream appeal with eye-popping visuals, inventive narrative structures and special effects, and existential and/or philosophical themes.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
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The skit started out drilling down on the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament’s Final Four before deftly segueing to the April 2 firing of Pam Bondi.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ably. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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