deftly

[deft-lee]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of deftly¹

deft ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Instead, as the New Zealand defence braced for impact, he deftly slipped the ball to Dingwall to race in for his second Test try.

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Ashley Cheatley cushions the ball with her right thigh, deftly flicks it over a defender's head, then finds the back of the net with an audacious overhead kick.

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Light touches of gold around her head contrast with the deftly controlled monochrome ink washes of the landscape in this virtuosic composition.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

During the final song—Jonson’s text “Now, Dian,” deftly set to Dowland’s famous tune “Flow My Tears”—it slowly transformed into its negative image, so her face became white.

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Some groan-inducing puns aside, Rushdie’s comic touches are deftly managed, appearing as sharp satirical swipes or witty repartee.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ably 
• adroitly 
• artfully www.thesaurus.com
• carefully 
• cleverly www.thesaurus.com
• coolly www.thesaurus.com
• deliberately 
• intelligently www.thesaurus.com
• judiciously 
• keenly 
• knowingly www.thesaurus.com
• skillfully www.thesaurus.com
• slyly 
• smartly