Definition of DEFT

Choose the Right Synonym for deft

dexterous, adroit, deft mean ready and skilled in physical movement. dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation. unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness. the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling. a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

Examples of deft in a Sentence

The photographer is known for her deft use of lighting. a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over

Recent Examples on the Web

On the surface, Flanagan might seem like an unusual choice to pair with Jackson’s deft exploration of mental collapse. — Aja Romano, Vox, "Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House is a slow-burn family nightmare," 12 Oct. 2018 The chest control, spin and deft finish inside the right post showed that in their big target man, Russia have found a useful out-ball probably capable of unsettling the generally weak defences of this tournament. — SI.com, "Surprise World Cup Stars: Artem Dzyuba – The Russian Peter Crouch With an Infectious Smile," 9 July 2018 Despite making his only 3-point attempt (a desperation, shot-clock buzzer-beater), playing around the rim with his quick footwork and deft touch remains the biggest strength of the 6-foot-8, 244-pound third-team All-Big Ten selection. — Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, "Can Michigan State's Xavier Tillman, Nick Ward stay on floor together?," 12 July 2018 Griezmann continued to steal the show, his deft touches and fancy flicks were too much for the Marseille defense, wriggling through challenges at will. — Matias Grez, CNN, "Antoine Griezmann masterclass guides Atletico Madrid to Europa League title," 16 May 2018 Krutwig’s footwork, soft touch and deft passing ability have turned him into a fulcrum of Loyola-Chicago's offense. — Michael Beller, SI.com, "Final Four Breakdown: Which Factors Will Decide Michigan vs. Loyola-Chicago?," 26 Mar. 2018 Through the artist’s deft chiaroscuro handling, the scene’s remarkably rendered surfaces — paper, wood, cloth, hair, stubbly chicken skin — variously glow. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "Out of the shadows and into the light: 'Chiaroscuro Woodcut' is a sleeper hit at LACMA," 5 July 2018 The Knights managed to acquire speed and talent thanks to general manager George McPhee’s deft handling of the expansion draft. — Steve Rosenbloom, chicagotribune.com, "Vegas Golden Knights are four wins from the NHL’s 'Miracle On Ice'," 21 May 2018 The Nigerians, who had looked so deft and athletic in their 2-0 win over Iceland last week, had no answers through the first half. — Matthew Futterman And Andrew Das, New York Times, "Argentina Finds World Cup Salvation in Thriller Over Nigeria," 27 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deft.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for deft

perhaps continuing Middle English daffte, daft, defte "well-mannered, gentle, dull, foolish" — more at daft

Note: Rather than being derived directly from Middle English, Modern English deft may go back to an unattested Old English *gedefte (with umlaut), with a meaning "fit, ready" developing to "apt, skilfull"; the sense shift is otherwise difficult to account for, though the lack of any certain attestation of deft in the sense "skillful" before the later 16th century makes this scenario hypothetical.

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