as in skilled
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor
she is quite proficient at computer repair a proficient rendition of a difficult piano piece
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in adept
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
an urgent call by the state department for proficients in Arabic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of proficient
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 6 Dec. 2024
Since many trainees aren’t fluent in English, part of the training involves taking English classes to become more proficient in the language.
—Gary Stern, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Making dumb, fun genre shows that are heavy on vibes and generally proficient with mechanics.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
He’s supposed to use animal skills to hunt, but are there many four-legged predators out there proficient with a blow dart or a pen to the trachea?
—Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for proficient 
Adjective
The attacker was reportedly proficient enough with firearms to clear a jam in his gun before resuming shooting at the executive.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 6 Dec. 2024
Since many trainees aren’t fluent in English, part of the training involves taking English classes to become more proficient in the language.
—Gary Stern, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Making dumb, fun genre shows that are heavy on vibes and generally proficient with mechanics.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
He’s supposed to use animal skills to hunt, but are there many four-legged predators out there proficient with a blow dart or a pen to the trachea?
—Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for proficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficient
Adjective
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Such trends have already been observed in studies of highly skilled immigrant labor – which can add an additional 6% in entrepreneurial activity to a city within three years.—
London School of Economics,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Feliz plays Samantha Reed who has been trained by her father to be a weapons expert, skilled martial artist and true chameleon all while hiding a mysterious past.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.—
Holland Cotter,
New York Times,
26 Dec. 2024
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Naomi Goggin Switch to island time—and expect transportation snafus Even with two planners, and a bride adept at project management, there was one logistical hurdle that was tough to cross: local transportation.—
Kaitlin Menza,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But Vancouver nonetheless controlled the second stanza of the contest — first levelling the score, and then taking the lead with a persistent, skillful shift on which Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson were able to combine for the key go-ahead goal.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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His length and explosiveness pair well with a skillful touch and a sharp eye for where teammates are located on the perimeter.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Uncertainty about Trump’s policies is prompting both China and Japan to seek a stable relationship, said Taizo Miyagi, an expert on Japanese diplomacy at Chuo University in Tokyo.—
Ken Moritsugu,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2025
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So, the fire chiefs have asked the federal government and arson experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to come in and help local investigators.—
Dua Anjum,
Rolling Stone,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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It isn’t projected to increase next year, either, and as a result, the agency has had a difficult time keeping experienced officers, who move on to better-paying jobs with local police agencies.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
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The mission for his successor starts with reconfiguring the team’s personality and asking for much more from the many highly experienced internationals within it.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Vahe was an English major at the University of Pennsylvania and earned his master’s degree at Mizzou.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
19 Jan. 2025
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After attending art school in Israel, Zin-Tamir moved to the U.S. in the early 2010s for a master’s degree in sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Most presidents have tried the same thing Historically, most presidents and their advisers – and indeed most scholars – have agreed that government bureaucracy is not designed in ways that promote efficiency.—
Jennifer Selin,
The Conversation,
24 Jan. 2025
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Although a sharp debate broke out among scholars, and the courts soon got involved, the program, in its essence, survived the controversy.—
Stephen L. Carter,
The Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In today's job market, choosing between being a virtuoso or polymath is like choosing between a chef's knife and a Swiss Army knife - one perfectly crafted for a specific purpose, the other ready for anything.—
Ann Kirschner,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
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Zakir Hussain, virtuoso of the tabla instrument and a towering figure in Indian classical music, died on Dec. 15 of chronic lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, at a hospital in San Francisco.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near proficient
Cite this Entry
“Proficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficient. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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