COMPETENTLY Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

competently

adverb

Definition of competently

as in masterfully

in a skillful or expert manner performed the piece at least competently, if not superbly

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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 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 Artificial intelligence is also increasingly capable of operating machinery competently and autonomously, from cars to drones and cameras. — Christye Sisson, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026 The shots are competently composed, the lighting bright, the beats familiar and unchallenging in any way. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for competently

Adverb

While traditional tailoring and minimalist silhouettes dominated the red carpet, prospects masterfully personalized their looks.

— Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Son moved fast, especially up the left wing, and arced balls masterfully into the corners of the net.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 24 June 2026

Definition of masterfully

Adverb

In a paper published this month in PLOS One, Alaei and her colleagues propose an alternative - employing a suite of superworms, a kind of hefty beetle larva that can capably pick a variety of animal skeletons clean.

— Ari Daniel, NPR, 17 July 2026
Directed by brothers Drew and Eric Dowdle, who capably remade REC (2007) as Quarantine (2008), The Poughkeepsie Tapes makes up for its occasional lapses in realism with its utterly disturbing portrayal of pure evil.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

Definition of capably

Adverb

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
What Argentina don’t do particularly proficiently, for all their strengths, is offer a serious threat on the counter-attack, punishing opponents for pushing forward.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of proficiently

Adverb

Other counties have procedures for permitting structures that don’t fall neatly into building code categories.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
India's generations do not map neatly onto categories developed elsewhere, and this was not a clean story of one generation replacing older politics.

— Penny Abeywardena, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of neatly

Adverb

The kitchen is ably led by former River Café head chef Danny Bohan, whose menu draws on French and Italian culinary traditions with highlights like Dorset crab with tomatoes and aioli and sea bass carpaccio.

— Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
The former Liverpool winger then picked out Mostafa Ziko, who finished ably.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 7 July 2026

Definition of ably

Adverb

The resort expertly blends immersive art installations, a decadent spa with a Turkish hammam and superb restaurants, including its signature overwater Japanese restaurant, Saoke.

— Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 16 July 2026
The Carnaby expertly mixes Ramsay’s reputation for Michelin star culinary excellence with a 1960s British Invasion rock n’ roll vibe that’s retro hip, energetic and just a bit irreverent.

— Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 16 July 2026

Definition of expertly

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competent

competently

competes

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“Competently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competently. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of competently

adverb

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