as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner
ably maneuvered the boat up to the dock
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Recent Examples of ably
It’s all done with verve and velocity, ably capturing the Looney Tunes spirit.
—
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Under normal conditions, the Palisade hybrid maneuvered through crowded streets and construction zones ably.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
Twigs ably fills the role but is not given the kind of acting showcase Cage has here.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
Under normal conditions, the Palisade hybrid maneuvered through crowded streets and construction zones ably.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ably
Adverb
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Instead, my research documented how LBJ masterfully used the questionable attacks as a persuasively powerful pretext to convince Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution by a near unanimous vote; only one senator voted against it.—
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An early architect of the cult of celebrity, Bardot masterfully harnessed the energy of the Swinging Sixties, framing herself as a free-spirited embodiment of a changing world.—
Adverb
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Diggs performed capably while playing nearly half of Green Bay’s defensive snaps in its regular-season finale Sunday.—
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One of Chris Grier’s best 2025 pickups as general manager before his dismissal, Strange seized the right guard job from Kion Smith, following James Daniels’ Week 1 injury, and generally performed capably.—
Adverb
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Either way, these are films that skillfully utilize the holiday to explore the human need for connection.—
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In the annals of moronic behavior, driving forty minutes out of your way in the middle of the night in order to secretly and skillfully cut down everybody’s favorite tree does not come up.—
Adverb
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Former collaborators Naomi Watts and Laura Dern, who also credited him with shaping their careers, paid tribute as well.—
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Davidson, who shot 0 for 14 in the final three quarters, briefly left the game in the third as well, but returned for the start of the fourth.—
Adverb
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Designed with a flat pocket, zip pocket, and even a key holder, this crossbody keeps all your travel necessities neatly organized without sacrificing elegance.—
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Use the 60-liter bags to neatly stow anything from bedding and off-season clothes to toys and bath linens.—
Adverb
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But the price tag will rise by another $10 billion, the completion date will be pushed off to 2050, and people will begin to fondly reminisce about how competently the Big Dig project was run.—
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And why can’t the state competently handle major tech projects?—
Adverb
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Cabello paired her earrings with the boots’ hardware, while expertly mixing metals, wearing gold bracelets and rings.—
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In fact, Costco warehouses are expertly organized and offer a wide range of top brands, as well as their signature collection of goods under the name Kirkland Signature.—
Adverb
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Dev is a Formula 1 driver and is in desperate need of a PR manager, so Willow deftly steps in.—
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In the example below, Matty Cash is pressed and goes long to Rogers, who, surrounded by three Tottenham players, deftly cushions the ball on his chest before flicking it back to John McGinn.—
Cite this Entry
“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ably. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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