1
as in virtuoso
accomplished with trained ability
a masterly performance of one of the most difficult ballets in the repertory
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 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
-
The story follows Winston Smith, a skillful worker rewriting history in the Ministry of Truth, who starts to look back fondly on the days before the Party took over the region of Oceania and implemented their cult of personality devoid of free thought and individuality.—
Robert English,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
-
But the game's structure also allows skillful and/or impatient players to zip to the game's conclusion quite quickly, rushing through the visually inventive bosses that guard the game's major chokepoints.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
Yet this infectious look into the masterful brain of the single mom and former police department cleaning woman — who earned her job as an LAPD crime consultant — propelled the freshman series into one of broadcast TV's few bright spots.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Whether this is a real departure or a masterful storyline, the wrestling world is now buzzing.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The team must be skilled in rigorous experimentation to enable translation of data into meaningful insights.—
Mohit Agrawal,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
That third party might be a therapist, a religious leader or a friend who is skilled at remaining neutral and asking questions.—
R Eric Thomas,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This story has been updated to include expert comments.—
Matthew Impelli,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Microsoft says it’s developed a prototype AI program that can reverse engineer malware, automating a task usually reserved for expert human security researchers.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Cap’s shield throw is great for crowd control; Wolverine and Spidey are adept at rushing in close for multi-hit combos; Storm can electrify (and fry) just about anything on screen.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Emotionally aware individuals are adept at changing their internal narratives.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
While there were some slow moments for both Sanders and the offense as a whole, there were plenty of highlight plays as well.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Parents who have supervision settings for their child have control over their location sharing on the map as well, according to Meta.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
That can’t be said for this particular Campania, which is chock-full of color, character and artistic photography.—
Kissa Castaneda,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Many of them find fulfillment in volunteer work or artistic outlets: Mannes has a friend who organizes a trash clean up club and another who is learning the art of ceramics.—
Sophie Levenson,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Schlesinger is equally proficient on acoustic and electric keyboards, and his compositions are exhilarating.—
Bret Saunders,
Denver Post,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Interestingly, the study’s authors noted that the mummy’s right forearm tattoos were more technically proficient and detailed than those on the left.—
Andrew Paul Jul 31,
Popular Science,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masterly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterly. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share