1
as in virtuoso
accomplished with trained ability
a masterly performance of one of the most difficult ballets in the repertory
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skillful
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor
a masterly handling of a complex topic in philosophy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner
a masterly executed somersault
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of masterly
Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2019
His accent was unaccented, and his biking around the city was masterly.
—Hannah Whitaker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024
His handling of her final moments, ultimately placing her calmly sitting on the edge of the stage, is masterly.
—David Benedict, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
The scene offered a preview of how perfectly Tennant’s Doctor would embody the duality of this hero through his three-plus seasons in the TARDIS — a masterly balance of stillness and chatter, heft and levity.
—Maya Phillips, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for masterly
Adjective
The authors of this concise and masterly introduction to the topic go some way toward filling that gap.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2019
His accent was unaccented, and his biking around the city was masterly.
—Hannah Whitaker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024
His handling of her final moments, ultimately placing her calmly sitting on the edge of the stage, is masterly.
—David Benedict, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
The scene offered a preview of how perfectly Tennant’s Doctor would embody the duality of this hero through his three-plus seasons in the TARDIS — a masterly balance of stillness and chatter, heft and levity.
—Maya Phillips, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for masterly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masterly
Adjective
-
Finnegans Wake, in his skillful hands, is a tapestry of all the works Joyce ever wrote, the final and protracted project of a writer who could never stop thinking about Ireland.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2025
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Their smart, aggressive defense disorients even the smoothest spacing and the most skillful shooters.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Belgian master of minimalism and wabi-sabi forever changed the design of sofas, and his way with rough-hewn wood furniture and beams, pale linen, an earthy palette, and a masterful blending of East and West and antique and contemporary are now canonized among professionals.—
Amy Astley,
Architectural Digest,
25 June 2025
-
Gill goes on to justify this support with a masterful century in front of a sell-out crowd on day one.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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Before June 8, the skilled and respected ABC News television journalist Terry Moran was neither a household name nor political lightning rod.—
Steven Levy,
Wired News,
27 June 2025
-
The necessary conditions are in place: computational power, broad access to distribution channels, a growing pool of skilled talent and rising global demand.—
Vlad Panin,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Do the expert speakers have seats and water at their disposal? Are the speaking notes or teleprompters in place?—
Adrian Dearnell,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
Wing will share practical tools and give expert insight on keeping families safe from online predators, cyber-bullying, digital threats and more.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Arts District Liberty Station has long been adept at adaptive reuse and historic building management, while Cygnet Theatre has a 22-year history of building relationships in the arts community, along with a dedicated patron base.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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The legal profession has long been adept at guarding its business model, so such changes are likely not on the immediate horizon.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
Adverb
-
But something constructive came from all the attention to the issue as well.—
Caren Zucker,
The Atlantic,
6 July 2025
-
There’s no need to whip out the label maker because the set comes with premade labels for common laundry essentials and a few blank ones as well.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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This particular weather issue did not deter Hermés' artistic director Veronique Nichanian from proposing extremely lightweight and smooth like butter leather dressing for the upcoming season, perhaps the ultimate luxury to wear lambskins, while fabrics like linen seem obvious.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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The production will be directed by The Old Vic’s artistic director Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day, Pride) in his final season before stopping down in September 2026.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
About 30% of our kids are proficient in math and reading.—
Siena Duncan,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2025
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Content creation needs prompts, quality control guardrails and a proficient human editor.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masterly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterly. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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