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
Catching the ball and deftly pivoting around his defender, Drew Fielder had earned himself a heat check.
—
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
In each of these roles, O’Hara grounded these high-strung personas while deftly winking at the audience and letting them in on the joke, particularly in the films’ mock-interview segments.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
The situation hurtles ever forward toward the threat of eruption, though not without the movie making deftly timed detours toward historical context.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Before every artful-minded modern horror film became about grief and trauma, The Babadook explored these themes with authenticity, deftly weaving in Amelia's grief over the loss of her husband and her inability to control her son with traditional horror tropes.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
The film traces Rushdie’s life and career — starting with his childhood in India — deftly blending archival material, interviews, animation, images and film clips to reveal a prickly intellectual mellowed by time and experience.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the Dolphins need a new public face such as Sillman or Garfinkel, who deftly handles media sessions for F1 racing.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Gorman earned the deep respect of Wall Street during his tenure at Morgan Stanley, which included deftly steering the investment firm out of the Great Recession and bolstering its businesses and workplace culture.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Good Talk deftly navigates the complexities of race, family dynamics, politics, micro- and macroaggressions in the wake of the 2016 election, and the surprises that come along with a child’s inevitable questions.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
In each of these roles, O’Hara grounded these high-strung personas while deftly winking at the audience and letting them in on the joke, particularly in the films’ mock-interview segments.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
The situation hurtles ever forward toward the threat of eruption, though not without the movie making deftly timed detours toward historical context.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Before every artful-minded modern horror film became about grief and trauma, The Babadook explored these themes with authenticity, deftly weaving in Amelia's grief over the loss of her husband and her inability to control her son with traditional horror tropes.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
The film traces Rushdie’s life and career — starting with his childhood in India — deftly blending archival material, interviews, animation, images and film clips to reveal a prickly intellectual mellowed by time and experience.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the Dolphins need a new public face such as Sillman or Garfinkel, who deftly handles media sessions for F1 racing.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Gorman earned the deep respect of Wall Street during his tenure at Morgan Stanley, which included deftly steering the investment firm out of the Great Recession and bolstering its businesses and workplace culture.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Good Talk deftly navigates the complexities of race, family dynamics, politics, micro- and macroaggressions in the wake of the 2016 election, and the surprises that come along with a child’s inevitable questions.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftly
Adverb
-
Director Tony Williams masterfully curates a mood of oppressive dread from the opening minutes through the bloody climax and explosive final frames, making this one of the very best Australian horror films of all time.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Fuerza Regida masterfully blends heartbreak and dangerous rumors into one gripping track.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
30 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Lamont has so far skillfully navigated the erratic, unilateral and sometimes vengeful policy pronouncements from Washington.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
-
This 2026 reissue of the sneaker features a slim shape and a low profile—skillfully tapping into the current hype surrounding nostalgic slim sneakers.—
Katharina Fuchs,
Glamour,
1 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Dale has state government, education, radio and television experience as well.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
While traders are trying to cash in on the rally, geopolitical uncertainty persists, boding well for gold prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Julia Fox certainly knows how to pull off an unforgettable look that is equal parts artfully avant-garde and daring.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
-
That signature more-is-more maximalism has been artfully incorporated into the historic British train.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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None was required for that surreptitious exchange– two dollars for a warm burrito neatly wrapped.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
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Abrams also cautioned that Washington priorities will define Dogu’s mission, and those priorities might not always align neatly with democratic objectives.—
Yamlek Mojica Loaisiga,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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The therapist should adroitly excavate what the AI has told the client.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
But VanDerveer adroitly uses timeouts for rest breaks.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Our show is expertly produced, as always by Chris McLeod of Blue Elevator Productions and our very own Josh Billinson.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
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Jeremy’s savory dishes are composed and confident; standouts have included a vibrant duck salad, delicate waloo crudo, mussels escabeche and expertly prepared American red snapper.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Newsom has capably sensed what Democrats want right now, and is delivering it with a roguish charisma.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
-
While Harmon has capably knocked down her midrange jumper lately, shooting guard Jordan Lee is in the midst of slump.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deftly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deftly. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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