as in neatly
in a strikingly neat and trim manner
the smartly dressed scouts marched at the head of the Memorial Day parade
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Recent Examples of smartly
Rather than wait on her line tho, Sesno smartly came forward and plucked the ball out of the air before a shot could be taken.
—
Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Pleasantly engineered and smartly shaped, the 2026 Uncharted has a plump price tag to boot.
—Marty Padgett, The Drive, 26 Feb. 2026
The Dodgers group that now owns the Lakers was granted a compelling history lesson during an hourlong ceremony that culminated in a theatrical unveiling of Riley’s statue, smartly situated between the bronzes of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
The concealer is smartly housed in the lid of the jar.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 22 Feb. 2026
Athletes and their fans, celebrities on a shoot or on tour, artists in town for Expo, business travelers, quiet-luxury weekenders, and smartly dressed families book well in advance to secure one of the few rooms (192 isn’t very many for such a tall building).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
Snacking smartly is just part of the equation.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Health, 20 Feb. 2026
Wilson has been smartly positioning himself on the edge of the penalty area to receive the ball.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Another smartly dressed man appears, smiling, and guides us into a discreet anteroom.
—Caroline Law, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Pleasantly engineered and smartly shaped, the 2026 Uncharted has a plump price tag to boot.
—Marty Padgett, The Drive, 26 Feb. 2026
The Dodgers group that now owns the Lakers was granted a compelling history lesson during an hourlong ceremony that culminated in a theatrical unveiling of Riley’s statue, smartly situated between the bronzes of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
The concealer is smartly housed in the lid of the jar.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 22 Feb. 2026
Athletes and their fans, celebrities on a shoot or on tour, artists in town for Expo, business travelers, quiet-luxury weekenders, and smartly dressed families book well in advance to secure one of the few rooms (192 isn’t very many for such a tall building).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
Snacking smartly is just part of the equation.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Health, 20 Feb. 2026
Wilson has been smartly positioning himself on the edge of the penalty area to receive the ball.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Another smartly dressed man appears, smiling, and guides us into a discreet anteroom.
—Caroline Law, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smartly
Adverb
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And here is where the Mondrich plotline neatly comes to a head!—
Christina Grace Tucker,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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Mike Johnson had his little beige tie and his spectacles and his flag pin and his salt-and-pepper hair, neatly in place, and his pink Kewpie-doll cheeks, and he was just thrilled to be visited by the president.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Senate Republicans are sharply divided over how to pursue the SAVE America Act voter ID and citizenship bill.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
26 Feb. 2026
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How other states handle requests While the language of Florida’s Uniform Trade Secrets Act is similar to that found in many states, its approach to protecting insurers’ rights to shield claim documents differs sharply.—
Ron Hurtibise,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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But all that — along with the aura of fear and intimidation that Khamenei carefully cultivated — began to unravel in his final years.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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Judicial warrants should be carefully reviewed to confirm the issuing court, scope of authority, and the specific location or records referenced.—
Peter S. Sachs,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smartly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smartly. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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