Synonyms of deft

deft

adjective

ˈdeft 

1

as in virtuoso

accomplished with trained ability

a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over

Synonyms & Similar Words

• virtuoso
• skillful
• masterful
• delicate
• expert
• smooth
• artistic
• adroit
• artful
• dexterous
• masterly
• workmanlike
• dextrous
• practised
• bravura
• practiced
• adept
• creative
• ingenious
• clever
• facile
• cunning
• neat
• capable
• adequate
• fancy
• competent
• able

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• amateur
• crude
• artless
• amateurish
• clumsy
• rude
• unprofessional
• awkward
• ineffective
• unskillful
• ineffectual
• incompetent
• inept
• klutzy

2

as in dextrous

skillful with the hands

the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dextrous
• skillful
• skilled
• cunning
• dexterous
• clever
• capable
• proficient
• graceful
• adept
• handy
• nimble
• competent
• agile
• masterful
• limber
• able
• masterly
• expert
• coordinated
• lissom
• spry
• lithe
• flexible
• qualified
• lithesome
• lissome
• sure-handed
• habile
• loose-jointed
• double-jointed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• heavy-handed
• wooden
• clumsy
• unhandy
• handless
• uneasy
• awkward
• stiff
• uncomfortable
• ungainly
• stilted
• fumbling
• ungraceful
• gawky
• gauche
• graceless
• ham-fisted
• klutzy
• ham-handed
• rough-hewn
• incapable
• uncoordinated
• butterfingered
• incompetent
• inept
• bungling
• inexpert
• maladroit

Synonym Chooser

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

The words adroit and dexterous are common synonyms of deft. While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling.

a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

When is it sensible to use adroit instead of deft?

The words adroit and deft are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

In what contexts can dexterous take the place of deft?

In some situations, the words dexterous and deft are roughly equivalent. However, dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation.

unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deft

Johnson and his Perkins&Will colleagues adopt this approach as a guide and use a deft touch that does not do too much. —Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025

They’ve been ensnared by his arching curveball and deft precision for the better part of two decades. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025

Nini makes no such communicative or deft movements. —Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025

The company’s deft choreography of solos and ensemble passages allows the performers, each representing a different tribal tradition (Navajo, Cree, Pueblo, Seneca, and Lakota), to stand as both distinct and part of a harmonious whole. —Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025