Synonym Chooser

How is the word adroit different from other adjectives like it?

The words deft and dexterous are common synonyms of adroit. While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness.

the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause

When might deft be a better fit than adroit?

Although the words deft and adroit have much in common, deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling.

a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

In what contexts can dexterous take the place of adroit?

The words dexterous and adroit can be used in similar contexts, but dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation.

unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

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 adroit The fashion house is known for its adroit use of off-kilter patterns, which, in the skilled hands of Risso, convey a cerebral, never-twee aesthetic that is no less reflected in this new line. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2023 These mother-and-son exchanges rinse and repeat in the first stages of the storytelling, under the adroit direction of Rob Lutfy, mingling tension and absurdity. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2023 Six months ago, his historic landslide victory was widely lauded, viewed as the triumph of a politically adroit change-maker whose centrist policies had swept him to power. Dan Bilefsky, New York Times, 7 May 2023 The Premonitions Bureau, an adroit debut from the New Yorker staff writer Sam Knight, draws us into a world not-that-far-gone in which psychic phenomena were yet untamed by science and uncanny sensations still whispered of the supernatural, of cosmic secrets. Ian Beacock, The New Republic, 25 Aug. 2022 See All Example Sentences for adroit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adroit
Adjective
  • 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
  • The more success rolled, the more damage done, the more skillful the hack and so on.
    Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Powell, skillful at opaque Fed-speak, nonetheless signaled a simulative change is likely.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Red Bull secured its first win under the new leadership of Laurent Mekies at the Italian Grand Prix, thanks to a masterful drive from Max Verstappen.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Understated early works such as One Man Up and the masterful Consequences of Love focus on people struggling with static lives and longing to be elsewhere.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Plus, an expert PEOPLE editor answers the burning question of the week, and one of our favorite stars joins us for a sitdown.
    Staff Author, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • How To Harvest Dill Flowers Dill blossoms deliver strong dill flavor in a delicate, pretty package.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Liu’s work often merges corsetry, delicate smocking, and floral motifs with a romantic yet subversive edge.
    Essence, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • Cleaning looked mundane compared with dexterous manipulation.
    Ashis Ghosh, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Documenting that time of a young independent Africa is certainly a worthy endeavor, even though the film never discusses the artistic and moral merits of these documentaries.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
  • This fall’s exhibition at the University of Minnesota’s art museum asks us to consider the rug — a functional object, a decorative object, an artistic object, a form of storytelling and cultural preservation.
    Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Messi’s deft chip over the goalkeeper and two scrambling defenders was a vintage finish from the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Not long ago, these militias’ tendency to bicker was mitigated by the deft orchestration of Soleimani.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Adroit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adroit. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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