as in skillfully
in a skillful or expert manner
plays the violin masterfully, especially for a performer of her age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 masterfully
Instead, my research documented how LBJ masterfully used the questionable attacks as a persuasively powerful pretext to convince Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution by a near unanimous vote; only one senator voted against it.
—
Richard Cherwitz, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
An early architect of the cult of celebrity, Bardot masterfully harnessed the energy of the Swinging Sixties, framing herself as a free-spirited embodiment of a changing world.
—Isobel Thompson, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
This classic ensemble rom-com masterfully strings together a gamut of love stories — from the fairy-tale-esque to the utterly tear-jerking — all during the cheery buildup to Christmas.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Dec. 2025
And yet, the theory goes, Kubrick had so masterfully embedded his clues in the film that some of them survived the posthumous meddling.
—Lane Brown, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
In the ongoing ideological debates between liberalism and its critics, Sunstein masterfully stakes out and defends the tradition’s high ground, a vision of liberal society equipped with a living constitution that protects the rights and dignity of individuals and the free play of ideas.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Her prose masterfully mixed humor and romance.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Not long ago, Tokarczuk sent us some remarks about a few of her favorite sci-fi and speculative-fiction writers, whose books mix the fantastical and the prosaic masterfully.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Metal tree bases are often a dead giveaway that your Douglas fir is faux, but the walled design of Anthropologie’s rattan tree skirt masterfully hides it like a holiday secret.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
Richard Cherwitz, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
An early architect of the cult of celebrity, Bardot masterfully harnessed the energy of the Swinging Sixties, framing herself as a free-spirited embodiment of a changing world.
—Isobel Thompson, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
This classic ensemble rom-com masterfully strings together a gamut of love stories — from the fairy-tale-esque to the utterly tear-jerking — all during the cheery buildup to Christmas.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Dec. 2025
And yet, the theory goes, Kubrick had so masterfully embedded his clues in the film that some of them survived the posthumous meddling.
—Lane Brown, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
In the ongoing ideological debates between liberalism and its critics, Sunstein masterfully stakes out and defends the tradition’s high ground, a vision of liberal society equipped with a living constitution that protects the rights and dignity of individuals and the free play of ideas.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Her prose masterfully mixed humor and romance.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Not long ago, Tokarczuk sent us some remarks about a few of her favorite sci-fi and speculative-fiction writers, whose books mix the fantastical and the prosaic masterfully.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Metal tree bases are often a dead giveaway that your Douglas fir is faux, but the walled design of Anthropologie’s rattan tree skirt masterfully hides it like a holiday secret.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterfully
Adverb
-
Either way, these are films that skillfully utilize the holiday to explore the human need for connection.—
Kate Stroup,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Dec. 2025
-
In the annals of moronic behavior, driving forty minutes out of your way in the middle of the night in order to secretly and skillfully cut down everybody’s favorite tree does not come up.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
Former collaborators Naomi Watts and Laura Dern, who also credited him with shaping their careers, paid tribute as well.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Davidson, who shot 0 for 14 in the final three quarters, briefly left the game in the third as well, but returned for the start of the fourth.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
16 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
No theme rings more true than in Ariel Mahler’s short film Re-Entry, a masterclass character study that artfully weaves the tender and cerebral in a tale of reconciliation with past regrets and the overwhelming power of self-love.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
24 Dec. 2025
-
Despite the rich visuals and heavy subject matter, the film itself feels subtle and restrained, the surreal plot artfully revealing itself to the viewer piece by devastating piece.—
Anastasia Sanger,
Glamour,
22 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
Cabello paired her earrings with the boots’ hardware, while expertly mixing metals, wearing gold bracelets and rings.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
In fact, Costco warehouses are expertly organized and offer a wide range of top brands, as well as their signature collection of goods under the name Kirkland Signature.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Diggs performed capably while playing nearly half of Green Bay’s defensive snaps in its regular-season finale Sunday.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
One of Chris Grier’s best 2025 pickups as general manager before his dismissal, Strange seized the right guard job from Kion Smith, following James Daniels’ Week 1 injury, and generally performed capably.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Dev is a Formula 1 driver and is in desperate need of a PR manager, so Willow deftly steps in.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Jan. 2026
-
In the example below, Matty Cash is pressed and goes long to Rogers, who, surrounded by three Tottenham players, deftly cushions the ball on his chest before flicking it back to John McGinn.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Designed with a flat pocket, zip pocket, and even a key holder, this crossbody keeps all your travel necessities neatly organized without sacrificing elegance.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Use the 60-liter bags to neatly stow anything from bedding and off-season clothes to toys and bath linens.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
But VanDerveer adroitly uses timeouts for rest breaks.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Fishback adroitly miscast the issue as an attack on Fuentes and Alvaro’s expressed support for him.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masterfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterfully. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
