as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner
the company spokesperson deftly sidestepped the investigative reporter's questions
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Recent Examples of deftly
At a time when the world seems more absurd than ever, the need has only grown for a deftly incisive voice with the courage to decry truthiness to power, regardless of consequences.
—
Eric Deggans, NPR, 18 May 2026
Weaver deftly got out of the jam, then helped his own cause in the eighth with a 3-6-1 double play.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026
Guiding us through the site, which was filled with a stunning profusion of brilliantly red poppies and fragrant chamomile flowers, was a local archeologist who lives and works at the site, and whose Turkish commentary was deftly translated for us by our charming guide.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026
Demi Moore and Park deftly handled other political questions.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
In the West Village apartment of Alex Bass, a burl cabinet deftly divides the kitchen from the breakfast nook.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 11 May 2026
The debate raging about whether the 49ers reached for players or drafted deftly will be settled in the years to come.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
But the show’s creatives have been looking to deftly expand Rowling’s beloved source material and will doubtless find some fresh ways to elevate the story.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Lyonnes’ second goal came via another corner, this time without any threat of a VAR intervention, as Diani converted deftly at the back post from Brand’s cross.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 3 May 2026
Eric Deggans, NPR, 18 May 2026
Weaver deftly got out of the jam, then helped his own cause in the eighth with a 3-6-1 double play.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026
Guiding us through the site, which was filled with a stunning profusion of brilliantly red poppies and fragrant chamomile flowers, was a local archeologist who lives and works at the site, and whose Turkish commentary was deftly translated for us by our charming guide.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026
Demi Moore and Park deftly handled other political questions.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
In the West Village apartment of Alex Bass, a burl cabinet deftly divides the kitchen from the breakfast nook.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 11 May 2026
The debate raging about whether the 49ers reached for players or drafted deftly will be settled in the years to come.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
But the show’s creatives have been looking to deftly expand Rowling’s beloved source material and will doubtless find some fresh ways to elevate the story.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Lyonnes’ second goal came via another corner, this time without any threat of a VAR intervention, as Diani converted deftly at the back post from Brand’s cross.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftly
Adverb
-
Drew Brees masterfully rallied Purdue from an 18-point deficit for a 32-31 Boilermakers win in October.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
But Araki has shaded in the margins masterfully, with vivid supporting turns by Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs and the now-ubiquitous Charli XCX.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
Van Dyk shows their arrival from the perspective of the local residents, skillfully conveying the atmosphere particular to the early stages of an occupation.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
Schmit skillfully weaves in mental health and the quiet, complicated calculus of coming out in a hyper-public sport.—
Erin La Rosa,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Adverb
-
That doesn’t bode well for summer road trip plans.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
15 May 2026
-
Several other concerns were raised during the roughly three-hour hearing, including questions about how to best protect visitors and participants from federal immigration raids.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Adverb
-
In fact, his film is rapturously alive with the lulling sounds and intoxicating sites of the natural world, artfully expressed through its soundtrack and sensual cinematography.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
-
Their signature maximalism and polish have been artfully incorporated into the historic British train.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
12 May 2026
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
-
Jenny Connell Davis’ adroitly constructed one-act play weaves together significant challenges for four women across seven decades.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Leo’s visit, in December, to Lebanon, which is home to one of the world’s oldest Christian communities, dating back to the time of the apostles Peter and Paul, now looks adroitly timed.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
All three expertly play two roles seamlessly.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
Sheryl Underwood expertly executed the punchlines and made the culture the star of her set.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Adverb
-
Soto has capably shifted into the closer role, moving Dennis Santana into setup duty.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Both machines can be configured with enough memory to capably run large language models locally, with less reliance on the cloud.—
Chris Welch,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deftly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deftly. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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