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 dextrous
skillful with the hands
the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deft
Vogt is all but certain to win again, despite Hinch’s deft handling of the Tigers’ tricky platoons across the board.
—
Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Here, her deft manipulation of form and language captures how alien—even, perhaps, how interesting—ordinary life with a chronic illness, in some cases, can be.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
Using his encyclopedic knowledge of House rules and his deft rhetorical skills, Adams could spin any floor debate into one about the issue of slavery.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Yet, for all the anger and backlash around Kimmel’s suspension, the longtime host’s deft decision Tuesday was to speak to the conservative activist’s grieving family and the big picture in America right now.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Here, her deft manipulation of form and language captures how alien—even, perhaps, how interesting—ordinary life with a chronic illness, in some cases, can be.
—Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2025
Using his encyclopedic knowledge of House rules and his deft rhetorical skills, Adams could spin any floor debate into one about the issue of slavery.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Yet, for all the anger and backlash around Kimmel’s suspension, the longtime host’s deft decision Tuesday was to speak to the conservative activist’s grieving family and the big picture in America right now.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 Sep. 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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Ragnar is one of the very best Nordic crime writers, as skillful in thrillers like this series as in murder mystery stories.—
Anders de la Motte,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
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Setting boundaries requires a balance of self-awareness and skillful communication.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Approximately 90 percent of formalwear garments are manufactured in Asia, including in China, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Myanmar and other countries that have the skilled labor and infrastructure needed to produce them.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
13 Oct. 2025
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If your Wi-Fi is protected by a weak password or uses outdated encryption, a skilled attacker might gain access without ever stepping inside your house.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Mendoza led a masterful 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to regain the lead.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Just a masterful performance from this elite pass rush.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Norris portrays the cunning and relentless Chief Dennison, with Tripp as Liz Bradley, a border patrol agent with a true-north moral compass, in her first major film role.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
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Maigret must outwit some of Paris’s most cunning and violent criminals, while dealing with his own troubled past.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Fed’s decision-making seems more delicate — and more divided — than it’s been in years.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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Stars who also produce are in a particularly delicate bind, especially those with millions of social media followers.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Its seven-degree-of-freedom robotic arm is paired with dexterous hands that can sense pressure changes and perform delicate movements.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Welcome to the Week 6 fantasy cheat sheet, a one-stop shop for The Athletic’s game previews, injury and weather updates, and expert analysis.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Hess helmed the first film, which stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa and follows a group of misfits who are pulled through a portal into a cubic world and guided by an expert crafter named Steve (played by Black).—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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