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Synonyms

ably

1 American  
[ey-blee] / ˈeɪ bli /

adverb

  1. in an able manner; with skill or ability; competently.

-ably 2 American  

  1. a suffix combining -able and -ly that forms adverbs corresponding to adjectives ending in -able: commendably; dependably; tolerably .

ably British  
/ ˈeɪblɪ /

adverb

  1. in a competent or skilful manner

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ably

First recorded in 1350–1400, ably is from the Middle English word abelli. See able, -ly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mr. Fryer ably takes up a difficult subject and comes up with practical and useful suggestions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Wembanyama was ably supported by De'Aaron Fox with 29 points, as the second-placed Spurs moved within three games of West-topping Oklahoma City Thunder.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

And Yokohama ably depicts a privileged young man who rightly views his good fortune as both blessing and curse.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

We must still allow ourselves to be shocked from time to time, and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s performance before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday ably did the job.

From Slate • Feb. 14, 2026

If a boiler happened to overheat, my dad claimed to be one of only a few workers with enough experience to swiftly and ably contain a disaster.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.