competently

adverb

Definition of competentlynext
as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner performed the piece at least competently, if not superbly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of competently While there are lots of things most people can competently do on their own, filing for bankruptcy is not one of them. — Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026 Final Thoughts The Beatbot Sora 70 can competently clean your pool's floor, walls, platforms, and surface. — John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 Unless operated competently such missiles may be worse than useless. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 The real issue is whether AI is being implemented transparently, responsibly and accountably — and whether regulators themselves understand these systems well enough to govern them competently. — Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 2026 Mark Beare, head of consumer business at cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes, also notes that employees would need to have confidence that an AI agent responding to coworkers and clients on their behalf can be counted on to act competently and professionally. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 8 June 2026 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 The shots are competently composed, the lighting bright, the beats familiar and unchallenging in any way. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competently
  1. masterfully
  2. skillfully
  3. well
  4. capably
  5. proficiently
  6. neatly
  7. ably
  8. expertly
Adverb
  • Turning for home, jockey Manny Franco masterfully guided Leading Change off the rail and into the clear outside the still leading Napoleon.
    — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Parton masterfully stayed out of every fight in the culture wars, preaching love, philanthropy, mentorship and tolerance until her dying breath.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of masterfully
Adverb
  • The film skillfully repurposes its clips and is not above snark.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • My servers, Simon Yun and Michael Richards, skillfully handled busy dining rooms from the first seating on a Friday evening to the last seating on a Tuesday night.
    — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of skillfully
Adverb
  • Carrick knew, though, that his team should have managed the game better after Mbeumo’s goal.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Novo Nordisk is testing whether wastewater from pharmaceutical production can be cleaned well enough to be used again in the manufacturing process, potentially cutting the company’s water consumption by half.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of well
Adverb
  • This is a budget loadout, but the Intel Core i3 processor is a solid little performer that capably manages Web browsing, spreadsheets, document creation and more without breaking a sweat.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Bryant capably replaced Will Campbell as the starting left tackle for one practice, and continues to be solid in 1-on-1 pass rush.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of capably
Adverb
  • The initiative comes as only about 35% of APS third graders are reading proficiently.
    — Jamal Goss, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Nunez has heard of other writers who proficiently multitask, setting down a partial manuscript while starting another, interspersing it all with stories and essays.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
Definition of proficiently
Adverb
  • The woman’s head of auburn curls, so neatly assembled and without a hair out of place, was flung to the side and her cheek, powdered with rouge, was now as red as a sunset.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Looking at his pizza chart from last season, Mbaye’s low cross volume (five out of 99) but high link-up play (86 out of 99) suggest an inside forward who prefers to combine neatly with team-mates before attacking the box.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of neatly
Adverb
  • Zeller sets this up ably by incorporating the sledgehammer blows of the builder hired by Toby into percussive passages of Volker Bertelmann’s ominous score.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
  • All four stars ably play the stoic and sorrowful notes required of them, without finding many secondary or contrasting ones in their dialogue.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of ably
Adverb
  • On the streets of New York, Zoey Deutch expertly pulled off a purple cardigan with red pants, while Dua Lipa rocked a head-to-toe Ferragamo ensemble at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, wearing a purple dress with red mules and an east-west bag.
    — Elise Fabre, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In no particular order, Elsinore darts in and out of various phases of Charleson’s life during this period, but Stone manages the tonal balance expertly.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of expertly

Browse Nearby Words

competent
competently
competes
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Cite this Entry

“Competently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competently. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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