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
In Milan, Jaeger-LeCoultre smartly avoided presenting the Atmos as a relic of engineering nostalgia.
—
Taylor Stoddard, Robb Report, 8 May 2026
While mostly faithful to the book, this Lord of the Flies smartly adjusts its story of midcentury schoolboys stranded on a desert island for an episodic medium by filtering each installment through the perspective of a different preteen character.
—Judy Berman, Time, 4 May 2026
What Faraway does is smartly, subtly, create a vibe that feels like something fresh for the island—but also entirely of the island.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 May 2026
Meanwhile, as Disney smartly keeps its mouth shut, Kimmel continues to handle this latest controversy with aplomb.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
The stage version smartly leans into all of it.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
In fact, the sandals are so smartly designed and comfortable that one glowing reviewer walked for miles in them—and then some.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
Romvari smartly uses the stunning natural landscape of the area surrounding Vancouver to lend her film some cinematic heft.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Over the past few years, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have very smartly built back-up pipelines.
—Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
Taylor Stoddard, Robb Report, 8 May 2026
While mostly faithful to the book, this Lord of the Flies smartly adjusts its story of midcentury schoolboys stranded on a desert island for an episodic medium by filtering each installment through the perspective of a different preteen character.
—Judy Berman, Time, 4 May 2026
What Faraway does is smartly, subtly, create a vibe that feels like something fresh for the island—but also entirely of the island.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 May 2026
Meanwhile, as Disney smartly keeps its mouth shut, Kimmel continues to handle this latest controversy with aplomb.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
The stage version smartly leans into all of it.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
In fact, the sandals are so smartly designed and comfortable that one glowing reviewer walked for miles in them—and then some.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
Romvari smartly uses the stunning natural landscape of the area surrounding Vancouver to lend her film some cinematic heft.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Over the past few years, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have very smartly built back-up pipelines.
—Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smartly
Adverb
-
While the Tory customer of the past felt neatly aligned with the country club aesthetic, the Tory customer today embodies a modern sensibility of polish and dynamism.—
Viv Chen,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Trump’s and Harp’s style fits neatly into the ideal image of the world’s female political leaders, including those in China, Wu said.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
Crime in Los Angeles fell sharply during Villaraigosa’s two terms.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
The cost of supplies and operating expenses have risen sharply, putting pressure on profits.—
William Deffaa,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
Lighter, looser and more human, carefully tuned to supporters who value personality as much as performance.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
-
As grieving attendees lined up to pay respects to the children, one woman shut her eyes after peering at one of the children, Kayla, who wore a white dress, her fingernails carefully painted pink.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smartly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smartly. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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