as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner
ably maneuvered the boat up to the dock
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ably
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
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
See All Example Sentences for ably
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
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
See All Example Sentences for ably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ably
Adverb
-
Zack Kelly pitched himself to the edge of disaster, then masterfully swerved out of harm’s way.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2026
-
The filmmaker masterfully integrates the naive art style into the film’s design and animation techniques.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Adverb
-
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
-
Both boys testified that Jackson had masturbated in front of them and molested Gavin on several occasions, but Jackson’s defense capably pointed out various inconsistencies in their stories and presented impeaching witnesses.—
Amelia McDonell-Parry,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Auditor Diana DiZoglio has skillfully tapped into public sentiment against the unpopular Legislature but needs to be transparent about the framework of her potential audit and who will be doing the auditing.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Kneecap have skillfully put their manifesto and a detailed rundown of last year’s experiences on their new album, Fenian, whose title, taken from the name of a 19th century Irish revolutionary movement, signals its controversial content.—
Lily Moayeri,
SPIN,
6 May 2026
Adverb
-
In light of federal immigration crackdowns, funding cuts and rollbacks to civil rights protections and oversight, how can California better serve vulnerable student populations, including those who are immigrants, are LGBTQ+ and have disabilities?—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
The tension was best presented throughout the third period, as Minnesota had 11 shots on goals to just one from Montreal.—
Theodore Tollefson,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
Adverb
-
On the table beside him sat the morning edition of the Orlando Sentinel, folded neatly the way only longtime newspaper readers fold a newspaper.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
In the kitchen alone, there were hundreds of plates, cups, bowls, platters, glasses, pitchers, vases, and cutlery, impressively organized by type and boxed up in sets, with prices neatly marked on matching labels.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 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
-
Myles Lewis-Skelly, aged 19, in his second start in midfield for the first team, slotted in expertly alongside him and earned a wondrous ovation from the crowd.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
The Canadiens would go nearly 30 minutes without a shot on net, but then got another unusual score when Lane Hutson’s shot rebounded off the back wall, hung momentarily in the air, and then was swatted expertly by Alex Newhook off Andrei Vasilevskiy’s leg.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Adverb
-
In the West Village apartment of Alex Bass, a burl cabinet deftly divides the kitchen from the breakfast nook.—
Rachel Davies,
Architectural Digest,
11 May 2026
-
The debate raging about whether the 49ers reached for players or drafted deftly will be settled in the years to come.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ably. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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