as in effortlessly
without difficulty
we proceeded smoothly to the next stage of the project
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Recent Examples of smoothly
During the 2024 election, officials received a record number of bomb threats, though Barton said elections went very smoothly, mostly because officials were prepared.
—
Ashley Lopez, NPR, 6 June 2026
That said, everyone could benefit from completing a few simple household maintenance tasks on the weekend in order to ensure things flow more smoothly over the course of the busy work week ahead.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
But things did not go as smoothly at the gate.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Even five minutes of slower breathing, stepping outside for sunlight, stretching or taking a short walk can help your body transition more smoothly into the day.
—Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, CNBC, 4 June 2026
If the World Cup goes smoothly, García de Llano envisions Guadalajara emerging as one of the world’s top tourist destinations, similar to Barcelona’s transformation after the 1992 Summer Olympics.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
But good luck to anyone trying to keep an NYC business running smoothly should the Knicks manage to wrap things up on the night of June 16, as that’s a Tuesday.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
Drivers needed a super-thin sole to feel the pedals, a rounded heel to pivot smoothly around sharp European switchbacks, and a tight suede fit.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Election Day went rather smoothly in Orange County, according to the registrar of voters, who said no major issues were reported.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
Ashley Lopez, NPR, 6 June 2026
That said, everyone could benefit from completing a few simple household maintenance tasks on the weekend in order to ensure things flow more smoothly over the course of the busy work week ahead.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
But things did not go as smoothly at the gate.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Even five minutes of slower breathing, stepping outside for sunlight, stretching or taking a short walk can help your body transition more smoothly into the day.
—Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, CNBC, 4 June 2026
If the World Cup goes smoothly, García de Llano envisions Guadalajara emerging as one of the world’s top tourist destinations, similar to Barcelona’s transformation after the 1992 Summer Olympics.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
But good luck to anyone trying to keep an NYC business running smoothly should the Knicks manage to wrap things up on the night of June 16, as that’s a Tuesday.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 June 2026
Drivers needed a super-thin sole to feel the pedals, a rounded heel to pivot smoothly around sharp European switchbacks, and a tight suede fit.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
Election Day went rather smoothly in Orange County, according to the registrar of voters, who said no major issues were reported.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smoothly
Adverb
-
Pivoting effortlessly from family man to ruthless felon, Cranston once again puts his acting range on full display, with a nuanced performance that is underscored by the knowledge that the slightest misstep could cost him — and his family — their lives.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
-
Lightweight, breathable coverups layer effortlessly for beach-to-boardwalk versatility.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Adverb
-
Frenchie's flameout was epic and hilarious, Derek X was astute and entertaining, and Claire easily could have been a serious contender on another season.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
-
The second act is tighter and has the best songs, but the whole show could easily be condensed into a 100-minute one-act with little lost.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2026
Adverb
-
Butlers here are called Aris Meehas, a historical Maldivian reference to someone assigned to serve royalty—thankfully, interactions are more easy-going than overly deferential.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
The vocals breathe easy, and Skinner’s touch is light.—
Arman Khan,
Pitchfork,
1 June 2026
Adverb
-
Staff greet you by name, and requests are handled quickly and efficiently.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Since the Neo Geo’s scaling hardware can efficiently stretch those sprites vertically without much overhead, the raycasting data can be quickly converted into a chunky approximation of a first-person view.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Adverb
-
The Glen Canyon Institute and canyon activists for years have argued that Lake Powell should be drained and the Colorado River allowed to again flow freely through Glen Canyon.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
-
The extra water allows laundry to agitate more freely during the wash cycle, which can be helpful with bulky items.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smoothly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smoothly. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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