DEFTLY Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

deftly

adverb

Definition of deftly next

as in masterfully

in a skillful or expert manner the company spokesperson deftly sidestepped the investigative reporter's questions

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of deftly The paint is deftly mottled but its handling lacks the prowess of her later work (see, for example, Being Beamed, 1984, a fantasia of extraterrestrial teleportation in which the watercolor is sumptuous but perfectly controlled). —

Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026 The score by Amine Bouhafa and Isabelle Laudenbach — the director’s sister, and also an accomplished flamenco guitarist — deftly interpolates scraps and strains of Bizet’s original compositions, stripped of operatic excess and given a folky lilt. —

Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 May 2026 The Irish actor Andrew Scott deftly embodies James Stagg, the punctilious Scottish chief meteorologist. —

Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 29 May 2026 Murray has deftly dodged any discussion of depth-chart expectation. —

Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 The rotisserie chicken was deftly seasoned and generously sized. —

Kate Williams, AJC.com, 22 May 2026 With Jane’s story, Senna deftly explores class envy, the economics of making art, and who ultimately holds the power in our most creative industries. —

Literary Hub, 19 May 2026 Weaver deftly got out of the jam, then helped his own cause in the eighth with a 3-6-1 double play. —

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026 Guiding us through the site, which was filled with a stunning profusion of brilliantly red poppies and fragrant chamomile flowers, was a local archeologist who lives and works at the site, and whose Turkish commentary was deftly translated for us by our charming guide. —

Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftly

Adverb

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
Payton, for more than two decades, has masterfully blended an ability to sequence plays and keep the game’s big picture in mind, but the coach himself has said there are times when his dissemination of the play calls has slowed.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 27 May 2026