masterly
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
Commonly Confused
See masterful.
Other Word Forms
- masterliness noun
Etymology
Origin of masterly
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; master, -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.
Writing about the U.N. deliberations on Iraq, Will gushed over Secretary of State Colin Powell’s supposedly sober, masterly and “unhistrionic” presentation.
From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025
Military aficionados will love the jargon and tech, and Mr. Wilson does a masterly job of combining Native American experience and ancestral connection with modern warfare for a satisfying resolution.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025
“Where Eve once seemed wild and inspired to Joan,” writes Anolik, “she now seemed slack and slothful. Where Joan once seemed meticulous and masterly to Eve, she now seemed dogged and doctrinaire.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024
Her performance was a delight, with a veneer of snobbery from which would emerge the masterly put down, particularly in the case of Mr Novello's failed movie.
From BBC • Sep. 27, 2024
West whispered to him, “That was masterly, sir.”
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
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.
