proficiency

noun

pro·​fi·​cien·​cy prə-ˈfi-shən(t)-sē How to pronounce proficiency (audio)
1
: advancement in knowledge or skill : progress
2
: the quality or state of being proficient

Examples of proficiency in a Sentence

surprised by his proficiency at the game after only the briefest explanation of the rules acquired proficiency at golf through long hours of practice
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Students with significant cognitive disabilities take alternate assessments and English language learners take an English Language Proficiency Assessment which measures their initial proficiency or their progress toward English proficiency. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2025 Humana claimed in its lawsuit that the ratings were calculated unfairly, as they were based on a CMS test of its phone support for people with limited English proficiency. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 From 2022 to 2024, the reading proficiency rate for online students dropped 5 percentage points, and the rate for math fell by 10, both to well below the state and Gallup-McKinley averages, according to the district. Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025 Even improved proficiency with AI doesn’t reliably mitigate the automation bias. Nelson Lim, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for proficiency

Word History

First Known Use

1544, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of proficiency was in 1544

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Cite this Entry

“Proficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proficiency. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

proficiency

noun
pro·​fi·​cien·​cy prə-ˈfish-ən-sē How to pronounce proficiency (audio)
plural proficiencies
: the quality or state of being proficient

More from Merriam-Webster on proficiency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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