Meaning & use
skillfully
Last updated
UK/ˈskɪlfəli/
US/ˈskɪlfəli/
Meaning
adverbnot comparable
In a way that shows great ability, practice or expertise.
Grammar: Usually placed before a verb or after the object: she skillfully avoided the question.
Patterns
- skillfully do something
The chef skillfully carved the roast into thin, even slices.
She skillfully steered the meeting back to the main topic.
The pilot skillfully landed the plane in strong wind.
Common combinations
- skillfully crafted
- The story is skillfully crafted and full of surprises.
- skillfully handled
- The delicate situation was skillfully handled by the manager.
- skillfully avoid
- He skillfully avoided answering the reporter.
- skillfully played
- The final piece was skillfully played by the young violinist.
- skillfully navigate
- She skillfully navigated the crowded market.
Synonyms and how they differ
- expertly
- Expertly stresses deep specialist knowledge, whereas skillfully stresses smooth ability in the doing.
- deftly
- Deftly suggests quick, light and neat movement, often with the hands, so it is narrower than skillfully.
- adeptly
- Adeptly is slightly more formal and suggests natural talent as well as training.
- cleverly
- Cleverly points to intelligence or cunning in an idea, not to practiced technique.
Opposites
clumsilyawkwardly
Word family
Commonly confused: skillfully or skilfully?
skillfully vs skilfully
Skilfully is the standard British spelling of the same word, not a different word.
Practice
The goalkeeper ____ pushed the ball around the post.
Choose one answer.
An adverb is needed to modify the verb pushed, so skillfully fits. Skillful is an adjective and cannot describe a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “skillfully”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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