1
as in virtuoso
accomplished with trained ability
a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dextrous
skillful with the hands
the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deft
Vogt is all but certain to win again, despite Hinch’s deft handling of the Tigers’ tricky platoons across the board.
—
Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Here, her deft manipulation of form and language captures how alien—even, perhaps, how interesting—ordinary life with a chronic illness, in some cases, can be.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
Using his encyclopedic knowledge of House rules and his deft rhetorical skills, Adams could spin any floor debate into one about the issue of slavery.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Yet, for all the anger and backlash around Kimmel’s suspension, the longtime host’s deft decision Tuesday was to speak to the conservative activist’s grieving family and the big picture in America right now.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Here, her deft manipulation of form and language captures how alien—even, perhaps, how interesting—ordinary life with a chronic illness, in some cases, can be.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
Using his encyclopedic knowledge of House rules and his deft rhetorical skills, Adams could spin any floor debate into one about the issue of slavery.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Yet, for all the anger and backlash around Kimmel’s suspension, the longtime host’s deft decision Tuesday was to speak to the conservative activist’s grieving family and the big picture in America right now.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deft
Adjective
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Kirk Baxter’s arrhythmic cutting is designed around quicksilver shifts that, along with Barry Ackroyd’s restlessly attentive, mostly handheld camerawork, allow Bigelow to redirect our attention with virtuoso command.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Ragnar is one of the very best Nordic crime writers, as skillful in thrillers like this series as in murder mystery stories.—
Anders de la Motte,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
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Setting boundaries requires a balance of self-awareness and skillful communication.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Can Skjei, who’s skilled but had a nightmare first season in Nashville, bounce back?—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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But in addition to his reputation as a womanizer, Casanova was also a con man, a skilled liar who came from a family of actors and who over the course of his life manipulated and tricked countless people to maintain wealth and status.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their streets are lined with lush trees and their Victorian homes are like doll houses, painted in pastels and boasting masterful woodwork that draws crowds of admirers.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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As with earlier films such as Fire at Sea and Notturno, Gianfranco Rosi’s latest work is a masterful act of cinematic immersion.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Norris portrays the cunning and relentless Chief Dennison, with Tripp as Liz Bradley, a border patrol agent with a true-north moral compass, in her first major film role.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
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Maigret must outwit some of Paris’s most cunning and violent criminals, while dealing with his own troubled past.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Fed’s decision-making seems more delicate — and more divided — than it’s been in years.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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Stars who also produce are in a particularly delicate bind, especially those with millions of social media followers.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Its seven-degree-of-freedom robotic arm is paired with dexterous hands that can sense pressure changes and perform delicate movements.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The robot is hydraulically powered, capable of lifting up to 441 pounds (200 kg) across both arms, and features dexterous manipulators for precise handling of tools and materials.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Welcome to the Week 6 fantasy cheat sheet, a one-stop shop for The Athletic’s game previews, injury and weather updates, and expert analysis.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Hess helmed the first film, which stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa and follows a group of misfits who are pulled through a portal into a cubic world and guided by an expert crafter named Steve (played by Black).—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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