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 skillful
skillful with the hands
the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deft
In another deft setlist touch, the band peppered the older favorites between newer songs instead of frontloading them or storing them for the big finish.
—
Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Nov. 2025
While not exactly the most exciting or eye-catching project to win an architecture award in recent years, the brick-and-wood building does ooze class and showcases a deft touch for the little details that make life more pleasant.
—New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2025
Incorporating a trio of deft but idiosyncratic emcees and an indie crooner seems like a tall task, but the members of WHATMORE see it as an opportunity.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Murray, in turn, was asked to be a two-way player in ways that were not necessarily originally expected for the young prospect with a deft shooting touch.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Nov. 2025
While not exactly the most exciting or eye-catching project to win an architecture award in recent years, the brick-and-wood building does ooze class and showcases a deft touch for the little details that make life more pleasant.
—New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2025
Incorporating a trio of deft but idiosyncratic emcees and an indie crooner seems like a tall task, but the members of WHATMORE see it as an opportunity.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Murray, in turn, was asked to be a two-way player in ways that were not necessarily originally expected for the young prospect with a deft shooting touch.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 16 Oct. 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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The 5-11, 187-pound receiver is skillful at running routes and can create separation with his quick feet.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
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Mackey does especially skillful work conveying the legibility of Ella’s personal anxiety and political passion.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Offensive line coach Jordan Shoemaker did a masterful job replacing the offseason departures up front.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Jan. 2026
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Witch Hat was delayed by a year to allow its production team at Bug Films to work extra hard on polishing the animation, and its music was composed by Yuka Kitamura, known for her masterful scores on FromSoftware games like Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Collaborating with industry leaders, academic institutions and others to ensure Iowa develops a skilled workforce for the growing nuclear energy sector.—
Marissa Payne,
Des Moines Register,
6 Jan. 2026
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The only problem is that Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin aren’t skilled at throwing passes or blocking defensive linemen.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Lily Allen strikes a pose in a delicate lace outfit on the carpet at 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
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The idea worked on paper, but in practice, the alignment was extremely delicate, and the overall setup became unstable and hard to scale.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Fueled by vengeance and cunning ambition, Ashur rises from betrayal and bloodshed to seize power, gouging out a place for the House of Ashur in a new arena full of violence, desire, and twisted loyalty.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
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The elaborate scheme, masterminded by members of four Mafia families in collusion with celebrity athletes, ensnared unsuspecting victims, bleeding them of over $7 million through cunning deception, prosecutors said in the indictment.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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,
6 Nov. 2025
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For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Last month, Chinese robotics startup Noetix unveiled Hobbs W1, a humanoid service robot with a lifelike head, interactive display, and dexterous 6-DoF hands for public roles.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Jan. 2026
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Evolution is part of the answer to why chimpanzees have such dexterous toes while ours seem much more clumsy.—
Steven Lautzenheiser,
The Conversation,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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