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
As Harry, Northeast Minneapolis product Nick Dillenburg ably captures a man who worries his best days are behind him, while Ryan Hallahan brings a wise and wary air to Draco.
—
Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for ably
Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for ably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ably
Adverb
-
Approximately 160 hours were devoted to diamond setting alone, with artisans hand carving the gold to accommodate each diamond and masterfully setting them into place one by one with tiny tweezers.—
Roberta Naas,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Texture and color are masterfully layered throughout the floor plan, providing an enticing setting for your visit to Mexico’s capital city.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
29 May 2026
Adverb
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Boston College transfer Omar Thornton also is an accomplished safety, but UM used him primarily at nickel cornerback this spring, a role handled capably last season by Keionte Scott, who’s now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
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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
Adverb
-
That’s the spousal duo of Kate Kilbane and Dan Moses, songwriters with a splendid sense of how to use mood, melody and skillfully honed lyrics to drive a story forward.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
-
One attendee noted that Power even skillfully covered for a castmate who’d messed up his lines.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
26 May 2026
Adverb
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According to sources, Thomas was asked to appear as well but ultimately decided not to participate.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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However, the unselfish captain has led MLS in assists so far, which may still bode well for South Korea.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
For Staying Organized A sleek passport holder delivers polished, frequent-flyer energy while keeping travel essentials neatly in one place.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
-
The dark smoked version pairs neatly with schaufele, the pork‑shoulder specialty served at Klosterbrau’s restaurant in the old town.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
10 June 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
-
Rodrigo ties up the album with a bow by expertly calling back to many of its tracks, delivering a rewarding catharsis that feels like finally seeing the other side of a bad break-up.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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Tableside dishes are a highlight, including a seasonal classic Greek salad and mouthwatering whole branzino baked in a coffee-grinds and sea-salt crust, then expertly deboned and served to perfection.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Adverb
-
For three and a half years, Dougherty deftly handled the case, guiding the public through a frustrating competency system and finally a trial that ended with life in prison without the possibility of parole.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
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Ireland, which did not qualify for this year's World Cup, nearly scored a go-ahead goal but Crépeau deftly stopped a charge by Mason Melia in the 85th minute.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ably. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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