adept 1 of 2

Definition of adeptnext

adept

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word adept distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of adept are expert, proficient, skilled, and skillful. While all these words mean "having great knowledge and experience in a trade or profession," adept implies special aptitude as well as proficiency.

adept at doing long division

When is it sensible to use expert instead of adept?

While in some cases nearly identical to adept, expert implies extraordinary proficiency and often connotes knowledge as well as technical skill.

expert in the evaluation of wines

When is proficient a more appropriate choice than adept?

In some situations, the words proficient and adept are roughly equivalent. However, proficient implies a thorough competence derived from training and practice.

proficient in translating foreign languages

In what contexts can skilled take the place of adept?

The words skilled and adept can be used in similar contexts, but skilled stresses mastery of technique.

a skilled surgeon

When might skillful be a better fit than adept?

The meanings of skillful and adept largely overlap; however, skillful implies individual dexterity in execution or performance.

skillful drivers

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of adept
Adjective
The gyuto was born when Western culinary influences became de rigeur, and chefs needed a more versatile blade shape, adept at push cuts and pull-through slicing, with a slight curve that allowed some light chopping. Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026 My body, genetically adept at survival, fought to keep me alive. Leila Mottley, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
But if the destination is appealing and the driver adept, the journey is bound to be worth taking. Judy Berman, Time, 27 Oct. 2025 He was investigated by the SS on the orders of Heinrich Himmler but convinced his investigators, all adepts of Deutsche Physik, that he was engaged in worthwhile teaching and research. Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for adept
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adept
Adjective
  • San Diego’s defense, life sciences and technology industries depend on highly skilled professionals who come here and contribute.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
  • For anything beyond a quick fix, working with a skilled pro can help ensure the job is done right—saving you time, stress and often money in the long run.
    Angie Hicks, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • But as online marketplaces widen their delivery network across the country and social media marketing levels the playing field, direct-to-consumer, or D2C, brands are on the rise in India, according to experts.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 May 2026
  • The head count at the consolidated headquarters went from around five hundred to just sixteen, eliminating many policy experts who had assisted field offices with difficult cases.
    E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • This country has produced leaders who understood that the office was never about them, that service means something, and that the people watching from home deserve better than a system that rewards the skillful exit over the honest reckoning.
    Nick Weston, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
  • Miami coach Mario Cristobal is known for his skillful recruiting of top prospects.
    Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree in business from Louisiana State University Shreveport.
    Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2026
  • The university will also suspend new admission into the bachelor of arts in anthropology and the masters of engineering and masters of science in materials science and engineering to rework curriculum through an interdisciplinary lens.
    Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
Adjective
  • Only a third of K-8 students are proficient in core subjects, test data shows.
    Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026
  • Just talks about how proficient everybody else is at doing their job.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Detailed look at 1814 British attack on our nation’s capital, with Denver Brunsman, associate professor of history at George Washington University, lecturer at Mount Vernon, and scholar of the American revolution and early American republic.
    Staff Report, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2026
  • Whatever scholars might assume from the etymology, Morrison said the word’s origins reveal little about the Pharisees besides their existence as a distinct group.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • In the hands of an experienced user, a midrange disc might even function well as the tee-off throw.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
  • The measure allows retired educators to go back to the classroom while continuing to receive their pension benefits — a move aimed at addressing staffing needs and keeping experienced teachers in schools.
    La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • To call a musician a virtuoso can be double-edged.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
  • In positioning Mollestad as an exploratory team player, its six tracks reveal her chops well beyond that of a showboating virtuoso.
    Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Adept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adept. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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