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

By 2010, Kardashian West was practically the definition of the bombshell beauty equation: Tousled, voluminous hair, out-to-there lashes, deft contouring that sharpened her features against a famously sinuous frame. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "Happy Birthday, Kim Kardashian West! Tracing Her Jaw-Dropping Beauty Evolution," 21 Oct. 2018 In popular culture as well as the gaming and fantasy world, rogues are often characterized by quick wit or malevolent silence, cunning and charisma, deft hands and fast feet, and skill with sharp objects. — Patricia Grisafi, SELF, "When I’m Gaming, I Can Stop Being a People Pleaser and Embrace My Anger," 1 Nov. 2018 Fellow summer signing Cesc Fabregas produced a deft first time pass to feed Andre Schurrle in the box who finished with aplomb, capping off a 25-pass move. — SI.com, "Burnley vs Chelsea Preview: Classic Encounter, Recent Form, Team News & More," 18 Apr. 2018 The Flyers were the better team through the game’s first 10 minutes, until Crosby swooped in from the left-wing boards, accepted a deft pass from Patric Hornqvist, curled around the Flyers’ net, and emerged at the other side to stuff the puck home. — Mike Sielski, Philly.com, "Sidney Crosby once again leaves the Flyers and their fans all wet | Mike Sielski," 16 Apr. 2018 Working from behind Washington's net, Valtteri Filppula sent a deft pass to Raffl, whose shot from the left slot bounced off Holtby and into the net at 13:48. — USA TODAY, "Konecny's OT goal lifts Flyers past Capitals 2-1," 21 Jan. 2018 Now, the Spanish sculptor is bringing his deft hand to Reims, France, to pay tribute to Maison Ruinart—the oldest champagne house in the world—and Dom Thierry Ruinart, the man who created the bubbly 1729. — Leena Kim, Town & Country, "The World's Oldest Champagne House Collaborates with a Spanish Sculptor," 16 June 2017 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

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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