Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

competent

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of competent

1 having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance
  • any competent mechanic should be able to fix that
Synonyms of competent

able, capable, equal, fit, good, qualified, suitable
Words Related to competent

accomplished, ace, adept, experienced, expert, master, masterful, masterly, practiced (also practised), proficient, seasoned, skilled, skillful, veteran

overqualified

prepared, schooled, trained

apt, ready, willing

all-around (also all-round), protean, versatile
Phrases Synonymous with competent

on the ball
Near Antonyms of competent

inexperienced, inexpert, unseasoned, unskilled, unskillful

unprepared, unschooled, untrained

beginning, green, new, raw, untested, untried
Antonyms of competent

incompetent, inept, poor, unfit, unfitted, unqualified
2 being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
  • the arbiter has all the necessary information to make a competent decision on the matter
Synonyms of competent

condign, deserved, due, fair, just, justified, merited, right, rightful, warranted
Words Related to competent

applicable, appropriate, apt, fit, fitting, meet, proper, requisite, suitable

lawful, legal, legitimate

accurate, correct, true

rhadamanthine, strict, stringent, uncompromising

equitable, impartial, square
Near Antonyms of competent

incoherent, incorrect, irrelative, irrelevant

improper, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, indefensible, unjustifiable, unreasonable, unsuitable

biased, inequitable, partial, unequal

arbitrary, despotic

illegitimate, unlawful
Antonyms of competent

undeserved, undue, unfair, unjust, unjustified, unmerited, unwarranted

Synonym Discussion of competent

sufficient, enough, adequate, competent mean being what is necessary or desirable. sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.
    • sufficient savings
enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.
    • do you have enough food?
adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.
    • the service was adequate
competent suggests measuring up to all requirements without question or being adequately adapted to an end.
    • had no competent notion of what was going on

Learn More about competent

  1. Dictionary: Definition of competent Medical Dictionary: Definition of competent Spanish Central: Translation of competent Nglish: Translation of competent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of competent for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up competent? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

emote

to express emotion in a dramatic way

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. crosshair Roger Stone posts controversial photo

  2. feckless Former RNC chair derides Trump

  3. emergency, national emergency Trump declares crisis over wall

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games