deftly

American  

[deft-lee] / ˈdɛft li /

adverb

1. in a dexterous or nimble manner; skillfully.

   The nightjar, a nocturnal bird, is an aerial hunter capable of deftly snatching moths from the air in mid flight.

   With clear, concise prose, the author navigates deftly through a complex narrative of diplomacy, war, and politics.

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Etymology

Origin of deftly

deft ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When something's done deftly, it's accomplished with style and skill. You'd be sure to impress your friends if you grabbed three grapefruits, juggled them deftly, and returned them to their bowl, all while carrying on a conversation. A physical or athletic act can be done deftly, or easily and well, but deftly can also describe something done with cleverness or wit, like a musician writing song lyrics deftly. The Old English word gedæfte, which means "mild" or "gentle," is the root of the word deftly, whose meaning still has that sense of doing something both skillfully and gently, or effortlessly.

Example Sentences

Deftly styling a loud pant says you don’t need a remedial lesson in the ridiculous life here.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

Deftly written, funny and spiky, it showcases Groff’s ability to conjure storms both internal and external.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Deftly pulling her helmet onto her head, she describes the day's work.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2022

Deftly, too, "The One and Only Ivan" uses its main character to explore the impact of repressed trauma and handles themes of exploitation with nuance.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2020

Deftly, with a delicacy surprising in such a big man, he began to scrape away the black leaves and dried blue mud from Drogo's chest.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• ably
• adroitly
• artfully
• carefully
• cleverly
• coolly
• deliberately
• intelligently
• judiciously
• keenly
• knowingly
• skillfully
• slyly
• smartly