ably
adverb
: in an able and skillful manner : with ability, skill, or proficiency
was ably assisted
This silly comic Christmas romp is ably performed by a cast of 22 actors, led by the high-spirited Danny McBride as the childlike Buddy.—
Matthew Yde
Matthew YdeLast year, she ably completed a half-marathon run with only minimal training.—Zachary Lewis
Zachary LewisExamples of ably in a Sentence
ably maneuvered the boat up to the dock
Recent Examples on the Web
Saturday’s second episode, for which ratings dipped slightly, featured a cold open roasting the former Prince Andrew and was ably steered by host Jamie Dornan, who appeared in sketches including a horror comedy about Jools Holland.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
String player Matt Worley often stole the spotlight, making his banjo sound like a mandolin, while cellist Barney Morse-Brown ably covered the bass role, plucking the strings more often than bowing them.
—Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Marcus Smart, who didn’t take a shot in the first three quarters, ably stepped into an open corner three in the fourth for the first of his seven points down the stretch.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Sherri arose in 2022 after Shepherd ably filled in for Wendy Williams at the end of that show’s run.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026
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Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
String player Matt Worley often stole the spotlight, making his banjo sound like a mandolin, while cellist Barney Morse-Brown ably covered the bass role, plucking the strings more often than bowing them.
—Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Marcus Smart, who didn’t take a shot in the first three quarters, ably stepped into an open corner three in the fourth for the first of his seven points down the stretch.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Sherri arose in 2022 after Shepherd ably filled in for Wendy Williams at the end of that show’s run.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ably
Cite this Entry
“Ably.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ably. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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