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
Riefenstahl deftly undertakes the type of media autopsy usually reserved for the most fiendish of true crime cover-ups.
—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
And the film turns into a deftly layered and at moments nearly philosophical head-spinner.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Call quality is good; the Pixel 10 keeps voices clear while deftly removing background noise.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
Assume disruption, and navigate it deftly.
—Rick Morris, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The interplay between raw audio and physical reconstructions is deftly and unobtrusively handled.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
The film culminates with an escalating parade of pain inflicted on Marv and Harry, and John deftly varied the pace and intensity of his cartooning — with heavy use of pizzicato strings, triangle, and legato bass clarinets — to match the progression.
—Tim Greiving, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Stork’s production is a very solid staging, hampered a tad by the size of the Paramount Theatre, but deftly cast with performers like Andrea Prestinario.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Instead, what makes the triptych of thematically connected snapshots memorable is its deftly unfussy observation of the unknowability that can endure among people who share the same bloodlines.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
And the film turns into a deftly layered and at moments nearly philosophical head-spinner.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Call quality is good; the Pixel 10 keeps voices clear while deftly removing background noise.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
Assume disruption, and navigate it deftly.
—Rick Morris, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The interplay between raw audio and physical reconstructions is deftly and unobtrusively handled.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
The film culminates with an escalating parade of pain inflicted on Marv and Harry, and John deftly varied the pace and intensity of his cartooning — with heavy use of pizzicato strings, triangle, and legato bass clarinets — to match the progression.
—Tim Greiving, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Stork’s production is a very solid staging, hampered a tad by the size of the Paramount Theatre, but deftly cast with performers like Andrea Prestinario.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Instead, what makes the triptych of thematically connected snapshots memorable is its deftly unfussy observation of the unknowability that can endure among people who share the same bloodlines.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftly
Adverb
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These numbers may seem small, but their effect is profound, especially when wielded by longtime Aston design chief Marek Reichman and his team, who have masterfully created a timeless brand language that continues to evolve and feel au courant while never capitulating to trends.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The Zone of Interest Jonathan Glazer's unsettling historical drama masterfully employs sound — which earned it an Oscar in 2024 — and what remains unseen to depict the horrors of the Holocaust.—
Charlotte Walsh,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Managing conflicts skillfully today can lay the foundation for deeper resilience, better processes and more innovative thinking down the road.—
Will Fan,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Hill and Giler skillfully avoid virtually every sports movie cliché while still delivering the genre’s rousing satisfactions — this is a spectacularly fun movie in spite of its often grim subject matter.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
1 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Miller often called well into the evening, Dudek said, to chastise him about anything the press had reported that day that had caught the administration off guard.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
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Natural fabrics like cotton and wool, however, are best left to the pros.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Even if it’s artfully made and grippingly acted — 9m88 and Chiu are convincing as two of the meanest parents ever seen in an arthouse movie — Girl can be a tedious exercise to sit through, especially in its early sections.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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Gastón Solnicki’s latest work features a magnetic central performance from Willem Dafoe, it is artfully composed with painterly images, shots of Vienna at sunset are exquisite, and its spartan dialogue possesses a dry wit.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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This little case keeps rings, necklaces, and earrings neatly tucked away, so nothing gets tangled—or worse, left behind.—
Kayla Kitts,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
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Despite the glossy subject matter, Winocour neatly sidesteps clichés, instead searching for quiet moments that give the story emotional resonance.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
5 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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In this case, the characters’ back stories are knitted together with an impactful range of lyrics that Swindley has mined from the country music canon, repeatedly adroitly interweaving song lyrics and dialogue.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
4 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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That opened up a shooting chance, which Wolff finished expertly.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
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This pattern was expertly observed by Amorim during his first press conference.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The Netherlands international performed capably in the middle of the back three, flanked by Luke Shaw on the left and Leny Yoro to his right.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
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Rocky capably steps up to Washington’s loose but intense actorly flow, and contributes a great song too.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deftly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deftly. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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