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Synonym Chooser

How is the word skillful distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of skillful are adept, expert, proficient, and skilled. While all these words mean "having great knowledge and experience in a trade or profession," skillful implies individual dexterity in execution or performance.

skillful drivers

In what contexts can adept take the place of skillful?

While in some cases nearly identical to skillful, adept implies special aptitude as well as proficiency.

adept at doing long division

When is it sensible to use expert instead of skillful?

Although the words expert and skillful have much in common, expert implies extraordinary proficiency and often connotes knowledge as well as technical skill.

expert in the evaluation of wines

When would proficient be a good substitute for skillful?

The synonyms proficient and skillful are sometimes interchangeable, but proficient implies a thorough competence derived from training and practice.

proficient in translating foreign languages

When might skilled be a better fit than skillful?

While the synonyms skilled and skillful are close in meaning, skilled stresses mastery of technique.

a skilled surgeon

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of skillful To be good at Below Deck is to be skillful at two jobs, both the one on the boat and the one as a practitioner of the reality-television arts and sciences. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024 Success will require new paradigms for U.S. trade policy and skillful diplomacy, as foreign leaders guard their own national interests. Peter E. Harrell, Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2024 Parents know how skillful our teens can be when making the case against our rules or leadership, so this may come as a surprise. Alison Escalante, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024 Each is written by a different author, but both are brought to life through the skillful brush of P. J. Lynch. Sarah Schutte, National Review, 15 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for skillful 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skillful
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • As a global hub of graffiti art, the entire London landscape is scattered with masterful murals.
    Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Image Image In contrast, this masterful Zegna collection, designed by Alessandro Sartori, Zegna’s longstanding artistic director, demanded close inspection and a good bit of attention.
    Jacob Gallagher, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The glasses were adept at translating a basic conversation about K-pop bands.
    Victoria Song, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2025
  • The technology is uniquely adept at managing the many variables and constraints inherent in modern supply chains, where manufacturers and suppliers are closely interconnected.
    Alan Baratz, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The talk show co-hosts brought in two expert piercers from So Gold Studios from Brooklyn, N.Y. to do the piercings live on the air.
    Rachel McRady, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025
  • There will be children’s activities, educational exhibits, expert horticultural speakers, food vendors and entertainment.
    Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Once core team members are proficient in using platform features and best practices for workflows or processes, the training and development can be extended across the broader workforce.
    Igor Rikalo, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Data from the state education department shows that less than 20% of students in Bridgeport are reading at grade level, and about 12% are proficient in math, Russell-Tucker said.
    Jessika Harkay, Hartford Courant, 23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Although the poet laureate was born in eastern Maine, Gibson has been an artistic fixture of Boulder, Colorado for more than two decades.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Likewise, be patient with romantic partners, sports events and artistic endeavors, because these are areas that could create some tension for you.
    Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • Instead of creating huge reservoirs to dam the rivers and compromise their delicate ecology, Bhutanese turbines harness their natural flow, meaning a glut of power during the sodden summers and a dearth during the parched winters.
    By Charlie Campbell/Gelephu, Bhutan, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
  • But this transition period is a delicate moment, when the country could be caught off guard if the situation suddenly changes, says Goodman, who recommends the Biden administration share its pandemic playbook so incoming officials can game out different pandemic scenarios and assess readiness.
    Will Stone, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near skillful

Cite this Entry

“Skillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skillful. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on skillful

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