as in skilled
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor
he's an adept pitcher, and the team is lucky to have him
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
even by the standards of Washington, he's an adept at political intrigue and power politics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adept
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2025
June 14, 2018 Abbott is especially adept at rendering the hot, messy inner lives of young people and at making a book’s backstory as suspenseful as the narrative engine that drives the plot.
—Jim Ruland, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2025
Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.
—Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for adept
Adjective
Nique Clifford, senior guard, Colorado State (CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Bleacher Report): The 6-5 guard is adept at several aspects, although perhaps not quite a master of any.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2025
June 14, 2018 Abbott is especially adept at rendering the hot, messy inner lives of young people and at making a book’s backstory as suspenseful as the narrative engine that drives the plot.
—Jim Ruland, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Noun
Perhaps Sheridan’s greatest magic trick occurs on Landman, where the adept acting of Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Hamm make the case that Thornton’s oil-field fixer and Hamm’s billionaire are the true American martyrs.
—Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2025
Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.
—Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for adept
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adept
Adjective
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Sallis enters the professional ranks as a skilled guard with a smooth mid-range game, defensive versatility, room to grow as a shooter and playmaker and potential to develop in an NBA organization.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
27 June 2025
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Medicaid also funds the majority of long-term care for seniors in skilled nursing facilities.—
Pia Valvassori,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 June 2025
Noun
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In his expert draft guide, among them noted by the Athletic’s Sam Vecenie were: a lack of athleticism; turnovers, loose handle, unsure footwork, lack of isolation creativity, defensive movement and subpar help-side defense.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
27 June 2025
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An in-house team of economic experts at Anthropic plan to award 20 to 50 global research grants of up to $50,000 each, and provide free access to Anthropic’s AI products to assist in the analysis.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
About 30% of our kids are proficient in math and reading.—
Siena Duncan,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2025
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Content creation needs prompts, quality control guardrails and a proficient human editor.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Learn how to meal prep like a pro, create quick and nutritious grab-and-go options, and master time-saving hacks that keep you energized without the morning chaos.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 July 2025
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Upper Buffalo Land Becomes Wilderness Area Tom Foti is a master botanist and former ecologist/research chief at the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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Finnegans Wake, in his skillful hands, is a tapestry of all the works Joyce ever wrote, the final and protracted project of a writer who could never stop thinking about Ireland.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2025
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Their smart, aggressive defense disorients even the smoothest spacing and the most skillful shooters.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Noun
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The author is not the first scholar to tackle the history of America—as in the American continent, not just the United States (which keeps trying to hoard the name for itself).—
Carolina A. Miranda,
The Atlantic,
30 June 2025
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The festival also offers performances by local dance or music groups, lectures by Shakespeare scholars and food offerings from Tom’s Travelin’ Coffee Truck or OneSong Biscotti.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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The society says that experienced observers may see about one fireball bright enough to be spotted in the day for every 200 hours of meteor observing.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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When unusual circumstances arise, experienced loan officers should make the calls.—
Ashish Garg,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
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He’s been a glamorous Visual Kei rock star, a classical composer, a virtuoso behind the drum kit, a producer and label owner and entrepreneur, and now, more than ever, an impresario.—
Steve Appleford,
Variety,
17 June 2025
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Little Feat, the archetypal ’70s band originally formed by Lowell George — a guitar virtuoso fired from the Mothers of Invention by Frank Zappa — has survived years of breakups, drug problems and even George’s untimely death in 1979.—
Dave Brooks,
Billboard,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adept. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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