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
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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
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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
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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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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
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In the BofA survey, 54% of the analysts said issues finding skilled workers would be a significant impediment for companies.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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China has also been adept at dominating supply chains from beginning to end.—
Caitlin Babcock,
Christian Science Monitor,
17 June 2025
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The sophisticated cybercriminals who design these counterfeit websites are also adept at manipulating the algorithms that determine a high position in a search engine search.—
Steve Weisman,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Adverb
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While Chelsea will be more on the defensive, advance with a draw as well, ES Tunis can only advance with a maximum point effort.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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This placed the series in the top 10 new series debuts in the U.S. in particular and was at one point No. 1 on Prime Video in the United States as well.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Mueller serves as the artistic director of the Film Art Research Centre at Shanghai University.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 June 2025
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And of course, there’s plenty of room for artistic impression.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Mice also are incredibly proficient at reproducing: Gestation takes just a few weeks, with six to 12 pups per litter and up to eight litters per year.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 June 2025
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Yet the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals that 69% of eighth graders are not proficient in reading, and 73% are not proficient in math.—
Jeanne Allen,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masterly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masterly. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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