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

Example Sentences

Additional Vivaldi arias and ensembles are deftly interpolated among the scrambled “Seasons” movements, their words a combination of Ms. Ruhl’s new English texts and the original Italian and Latin.

From The Wall Street Journal

From his enthusiastic dancing dad and slumbering grandma to the overly productive frybread vendor, each character is deftly rendered with a familiar and affectionate warmth.

From Salon

Her private thoughts are so deftly crafted, they remind us that writing well is a way to be more fully alive.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead of hand-wringing about all of the doom and gloom like so many other filmmakers, Anderson lets the viewer have some fun, deftly straddling the line between bleak and downright silly.

From Salon

Who knew the Dodgers could so deftly field a bunt play?

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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