ably

adverb

ˈā-b(ə-)lē 

: 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

Last year, she ably completed a half-marathon run with only minimal training.

—Zachary Lewis

Synonyms

• adeptly
• adroitly
• artfully
• capably
• competently
• consummately
• deftly
• expertly
• masterfully
• masterly
• proficiently
• skillfully
• well

Examples of ably in a Sentence

ably maneuvered the boat up to the dock

Recent Examples on the Web

Hard acceleration on a slightly greasy road can create a slight jump, because this car is powerful enough to lose traction, but the car’s safety systems jump in ably to keep things travelling in the right direction. —James Morris, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

Martha, again in the mid-1990s, ably demonstrating the only proper way to prune an unruly tree. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024

Barrera also ably keeps the picture’s many tones in check, playing the big emotional moments with just enough humor to keep us from whipsawing from one extreme to another. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024

Loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s gothic horror novel of the same name, this creepy tale is skillfully directed by Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep), ably assisted by a strong cast that includes Carla Gugino, Timothy Hutton, and Victoria Pedretti. —Simon Hill, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ably

adverb

ˈā-blē

: in an able manner