deft

adjective

ˈdeft 

: characterized by facility and skill

the photographer's deft use of lighting

the deft fingers of the trumpeter

deftly adverb

deftness

ˈdef(t)-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• adroit
• artful
• bravura
• delicate
• dexterous
• dextrous
• expert
• masterful
• masterly
• practiced
• practised
• skillful
• virtuoso
• workmanlike

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

Wirtz is focused more on the micro, with delicate touches and deft flicks, compared to Szoboszlai’s macro traits of energy and power. —Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 May 2025

While those discussions could be weighed down by politics, Macfarlane’s touch is deft, giving us exactly enough to consider the question while also showing us how this is not just about rivers but about us. —Valorie Castellanos Clark, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025

Working from a deft script and a sharp eye for detail, Bonnin gives this familiar setup a welcome authenticity, while actors Armanet and Bouillon supply the necessary charm and chemistry to keep things lively. —Ben Croll, IndieWire, 13 May 2025

These sections are low-skill side quests that don’t add anything, and even undermine the lore, as your Atlan’s deft movement contradicts the incredibly slow motion of mechs fighting elsewhere on the battlefield. —Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

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.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deft

• cleft
• heft
• left
• theft
• bereft

Kids Definition

deft

adjective

ˈdeft 

: quick and skillful in action

knitting with deft fingers

deftly adverb

deftness

ˈdef(t)-nəs 

noun