deftly

adverb

Definition of deftlynext
as in masterfully
in a skillful or expert manner the company spokesperson deftly sidestepped the investigative reporter's questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deftly On an 8-yard run a bit earlier, Willis deftly escaped being tackled 1 yard short on a third-and-5, displaying the type of second effort that earns respect from everyone. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 Helgerson delivered, executing deftly in a limited space many designers would have found challenging to work with. — Camille Okhio, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026 But few pieces of writing so deftly captured how the political and media cycles would play out over the next 10 years, again and again and again. — David MacK, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 Dance movies marvelously translate primal emotions into motion, the human body becoming a supple instrument deftly communicating the pain, ecstasy and confusion of being alive. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 Hasan deftly handles political seriousness and an unfathomable history and present of war and punitive state violence against Palestinians. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026 The story also deftly draws on spirituality rooted in the Islamic tradition — a nod to Akin’s religious upbringing. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026 Set the scene On rugged John’s Island 40 minutes outside of Charleston, Auberge’s Lowcountry debut deftly centers the coastal charm of the South Carolina sea islands—the second most bioactive habitat in the world, after only the Amazon Rainforest. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026 Thorny realities deftly observed from the perspective of young characters are present in all of Cartoon Saloon’s features so far. — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftly
  1. masterfully
  2. skillfully
  3. well
  4. artfully
  5. neatly
  6. adroitly
  7. expertly
  8. capably
Adverb
  • Ahluwalia x Puma Blending the designer’s Indian-Nigerian culture with Puma’s legendary sportswear designs, this partnership masterfully resulted in a colorful, chic athleisure capsule.
    — Virginia Corneli, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The Soundcore Select 4 Go pairs an adventure-proof IP67 design with exceptional 20-hour battery life masterfully.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of masterfully
Adverb
  • Jay has always skillfully folded each turn into his larger mythology, going from drug dealer to rapper to label boss to executive with an air of inevitability, every choice subsumed into the glory of the hustle.
    — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • These nine classics skillfully keep audiences guessing while depicting different kinds of waking nightmares, making the protagonists’ traumas our own for a few entertaining hours.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of skillfully
Adverb
  • Gen Z fared best, with most getting back more than 80 cents per dollar—but that’s still well short of breaking even.
    — Shae Lake, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • By implementing strategies that address the CSF's six key functions, districts, colleges and universities can better identify, protect, detect, respond to and recover from potential incidents, enhancing their overall resilience.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of well
Adverb
  • The textural top was artfully contrasted by the skirt of the look, which included a bevy of bead work with tassels to boot.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • And Mylette Nora’s costumes artfully conjure both the underworld and the spiritual realm.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of artfully
Adverb
  • Her beauty look, with gleaming skin and braids pulled back neatly, was similarly unfussy.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Green fragrances are gaining ground as shoppers move away from sweet gourmands and heavy vanilla scents, and tomato leaf fits neatly into that shift toward fresher, more botanical profiles.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of neatly
Adverb
  • The overtones of social significance are adroitly handled and make real sense in an era of tragic international quarrels.
    — THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Rams architects Les Snead and Sean McVay can still adroitly motivate a player without pressing too hard.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Definition of adroitly
Adverb
  • This year, there have been a lot of films that are expertly navigating this.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Sybil appeared to be in charge of making the batter, expertly cracking eggs into the yellow mixer as Craig was on oven duty, putting the cookies in before carefully watching his daughter for permission to take the treats out.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of expertly
Adverb
  • And there was also a favorable response on Saturday to Amazon/MGM’s Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, an action-thriller led capably by Mahershala Ali.
    — Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2026
  • This is a budget loadout, but the Intel Core i3 processor is a solid little performer that capably manages Web browsing, spreadsheets, document creation and more without breaking a sweat.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of capably

Browse Nearby Words

deft
deftly
deftness
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Cite this Entry

“Deftly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deftly. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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