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expertly

B1
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /ˈɛkspɜːtli/

US

  • /ˈɛkspərtli/

Description

To do something expertly means to do it with the skill and care of someone who really knows what they are doing. It is more than just doing something well. It suggests steady control, good judgment, and a high level of practice. A chef might expertly prepare a meal, a carpenter might expertly build a cabinet, or a surgeon might expertly perform a delicate operation. You would not usually say someone "expertly stumbled" because the word suggests control and skill. Think of a pianist playing a hard piece expertly: not just playing the right notes, but doing it smoothly and with confidence.

Examples

  1. 1

    Cooking

    The chef expertly sliced the fish into thin pieces.

  2. 2

    Public questions

    She answered the reporter's questions calmly and expertly.

  3. 3

    Interior design

    The room was small, but the furniture had been expertly arranged.

  4. 4

    Conflict management

    He managed the disagreement expertly, so the meeting stayed productive.

  5. 5

    Film criticism

    The film expertly balances humor and sadness.

  6. 6

    Dismissal

    Her concerns were expertly brushed aside.

    • Phrase

      brush aside

      treat something as unimportant and ignore it

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • expertlyadverb