Definition of deft
: characterized by facility and skill the photographer's deft use of lighting the deft fingers of the trumpeter
deftly
adverbFrom the M-W Editors
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 of deft from the Web
-
Elsewhere, though, Jenkins shows an equally deft hand with action and with the more human-scale moments.
-
His centering attempt zipped toward the crease, and Rinne, a deft puckhandler, thrust out his stick.
-
The final meeting communique had all leaders except Trump back the Paris climate accord and added new caveats aimed at appeasing the U.S. -- thanks in part to diplomacy and deft editing by Canada.
-
The deft diplomacy of President George H.W. Bush and Brent Scowcroft over-mastered the objections of Moscow—and not just Moscow.
-
In this, he's been helped by some very deft work by Pitt, whose combination of comedic skills and movie star persona is put to excellent use here.
-
Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood The Booker Prize-winning author makes another deft foray into literary sci-fi.
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.
Origin and Etymology of deft
Middle English defte gentle — more at daft
Synonym Discussion of deft
DEFT Defined for English Language Learners
deft
playDefinition of deft for English Language Learners
-
: skillful and clever
-
: able to do something quickly and accurately
DEFT Defined for Kids
deft
playDefinition of deft for Students
defter
;deftest
: quick and skillful in action He cut hair with deft fingers.
deftly
adverbLearn More about deft
-
See words that rhyme with deft Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for deft Spanish Central: Translation of deft Nglish: Translation of deft for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of deft for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up deft? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!