smartly

adverb

Definition of smartlynext
as in neatly
in a strikingly neat and trim manner the smartly dressed scouts marched at the head of the Memorial Day parade

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 smartly These versatile and smartly designed space-saving solutions from the mid 20th century remain unrivaled today. — Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 9 Aug. 2026 President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and the front office clearly felt the Cubs have a chance to make a run in the postseason and smartly bolstered the roster. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 Gunn smartly turns the spotlight on Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), delivering a poignant and emotional storyline about grief and reckoning with past traumas. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 Yet Corsini transforms his shocking premise into a beastly and beautiful character study, one that’s smartly supported by a mostly Italian ensemble and truly revelatory second antagonist. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026 Remember, the Canes ended 2025 spring practice with five solid rotation linebackers, but smartly went out and grabbed Mo Toure (after signing Kamal Bonner a week earlier). — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026 He is dressed smartly, wearing a dark blazer and crisp white shirt. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 22 July 2026 The lighting smartly indicates what features are being used in an intuitive way. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 21 July 2026 Carl Philip and Sofia’s three sons — Prince Alexander, 10, Prince Gabriel, 8, and Prince Julian, 5 — stand at the front of the family photo, dressed smartly in matching green jackets. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smartly
  1. neatly
  2. sharply
  3. carefully
Adverb
  • Today, this stand is named in honour of Wolves’ legendary goalscorer Steve Bull and dovetails neatly with the rest of an impressive venue that spent the past nine years in the Premier League.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Israeli soldiers then arrived in two vehicles and tore it down, but left the blue tarp canopy neatly folded on the ground rather than confiscating it.
    — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of neatly
Adverb
  • It’s been swinging sharply recently and pinballed between $72 and $102 last month as hopes rose and fell that a deal in the war could allow oil tankers to freely exit the Middle East again and deliver crude worldwide.
    — Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Clashes escalated sharply in February when Afghan forces launched a raid into Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sharply
Adverb
  • The crawl space had to do certain things, and the actor had to move in a certain way, so it was engineered pretty carefully.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For smaller sections like the backsplash, carefully apply the sealer with an application brush, making sure to only get into the grout lines.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of carefully

Browse Nearby Words

smarting
smartly
smart-mouthed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smartly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smartly. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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