as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner
the company spokesperson deftly sidestepped the investigative reporter's questions
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Recent Examples of deftly
Though not for the faint-hearted, Michael was surprisingly sensitive in its execution, deftly sketching the banal details of the criminal’s otherwise normal, suburban life.
—
Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
But every time Trump takes to social media, angered by drug trafficking – or drone incursions, Sheinbaum Pardo has deftly reminded him of their working partnership, Jacobson said.
—Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Catching the ball and deftly pivoting around his defender, Drew Fielder had earned himself a heat check.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
In each of these roles, O’Hara grounded these high-strung personas while deftly winking at the audience and letting them in on the joke, particularly in the films’ mock-interview segments.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
The situation hurtles ever forward toward the threat of eruption, though not without the movie making deftly timed detours toward historical context.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Before every artful-minded modern horror film became about grief and trauma, The Babadook explored these themes with authenticity, deftly weaving in Amelia's grief over the loss of her husband and her inability to control her son with traditional horror tropes.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
The film traces Rushdie’s life and career — starting with his childhood in India — deftly blending archival material, interviews, animation, images and film clips to reveal a prickly intellectual mellowed by time and experience.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the Dolphins need a new public face such as Sillman or Garfinkel, who deftly handles media sessions for F1 racing.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
But every time Trump takes to social media, angered by drug trafficking – or drone incursions, Sheinbaum Pardo has deftly reminded him of their working partnership, Jacobson said.
—Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Catching the ball and deftly pivoting around his defender, Drew Fielder had earned himself a heat check.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
In each of these roles, O’Hara grounded these high-strung personas while deftly winking at the audience and letting them in on the joke, particularly in the films’ mock-interview segments.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
The situation hurtles ever forward toward the threat of eruption, though not without the movie making deftly timed detours toward historical context.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Before every artful-minded modern horror film became about grief and trauma, The Babadook explored these themes with authenticity, deftly weaving in Amelia's grief over the loss of her husband and her inability to control her son with traditional horror tropes.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
The film traces Rushdie’s life and career — starting with his childhood in India — deftly blending archival material, interviews, animation, images and film clips to reveal a prickly intellectual mellowed by time and experience.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the Dolphins need a new public face such as Sillman or Garfinkel, who deftly handles media sessions for F1 racing.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftly
Adverb
-
Chef Hamir Patel, a one-man show in the kitchen, masterfully pairs Indian cuisine with unexpected flavors including Mexican and Italian influences.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Director Tony Williams masterfully curates a mood of oppressive dread from the opening minutes through the bloody climax and explosive final frames, making this one of the very best Australian horror films of all time.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Fischer skillfully braids the three stories together, situating them in an atmosphere of creative ferment and reckless churn.—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Lamont has so far skillfully navigated the erratic, unilateral and sometimes vengeful policy pronouncements from Washington.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The National Weather Service Sacramento expects cold overnight temperatures early Saturday as well.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The galaxies that are so familiar and ubiquitous in our Universe today will die, at least in a sense, as well.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Julia Fox certainly knows how to pull off an unforgettable look that is equal parts artfully avant-garde and daring.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
-
That signature more-is-more maximalism has been artfully incorporated into the historic British train.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Part of the reason that Charli’s voice fits so neatly in what ought to be a radically new context is that her hooks always dominate the instrumentals.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Leveleve Balcony Furniture 5-Piece Patio Conversation Set For truly stretching out and relaxing, this five-piece set includes two chairs with extendable footrests for reclining—then the footrest tuck neatly underneath the chairs when not in use.—
Melanie Fincher,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The therapist should adroitly excavate what the AI has told the client.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
But VanDerveer adroitly uses timeouts for rest breaks.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Our show is expertly produced, as always by Chris McLeod of Blue Elevator Productions and our very own Josh Billinson.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Jeremy’s savory dishes are composed and confident; standouts have included a vibrant duck salad, delicate waloo crudo, mussels escabeche and expertly prepared American red snapper.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Newsom has capably sensed what Democrats want right now, and is delivering it with a roguish charisma.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
-
While Harmon has capably knocked down her midrange jumper lately, shooting guard Jordan Lee is in the midst of slump.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deftly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deftly. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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