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

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 deft Through technical expertise, deft pacing, and timing, HURIKAN manages to pull us into its world immediately. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 9 May 2025 Into that vacuum stepped Lurie, a wealthy political newcomer with deep local roots and a deft media strategy. Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 May 2025 Once again taking a deft low-key approach to a sturdy script (this time by Sean Farley), and armed with engaging lead performances from Jack Quaid and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Skiles has crafted another accessibly offbeat not-quite-genre item. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025 The level of sound and spectacle created by some deft combination of Miriam Buether, Jamie Harrison, Chris Fisher and a design studio that goes by 59 (LOL) is intense. Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deft
Adjective
  • Newton’s jewels are alive with her mastery of design, composition, skillful use of materials, and an instinct for creating irresistible objects.
    Kyle Roderick, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The show’s real draw is its cast, which expands to include Matthew Rhys as a troubled detective, and a skillful adaptation that highlights the glossiest, cleverest elements of classic Christie—and adds a pinch of eros.
    Judy Berman, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The area’s labor pool can satisfy practically any employer’s requirements, from upper management, technical and office workers to skilled employees for the production line.
    Rohit Arora, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • While patients and providers say teletherapy is effective and easier to get than in-person services, experts in the field noted that teletherapy often requires a skilled mental health practitioner trained to pick up subtle communication cues.
    Phillip Reese, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • The look was designed by Tolu Coker, a British-Nigerian designer celebrated for masterful tailoring that fuses masculine aesthetics with feminine silhouettes, brought to life through loud, vivid patterns.
    Essence, Essence, 9 May 2025
  • The Brazilian had just scored the third goal of the visitors’ masterful comeback from 2-0 down.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • In real life, most would-be Proud Boys don’t have cunning, progressive housemates who will throw away their gun parts.
    Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
  • Premiering in January 2023, The Traitors has gone on to widespread acclaim, even winning Emmys for Outstanding Reality Competition Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program (Alan Cumming on cunning form).
    Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Wirtz is focused more on the micro, with delicate touches and deft flicks, compared to Szoboszlai’s macro traits of energy and power.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • The walls of the rectum (the inside of your butt) are delicate.
    Alexander Cheves, Them., 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • Macklem speaks perhaps 80 percent of the words in the play, spinning long, disarming, verbally dexterous monologues.
    Jesse Green, New York Times, 9 May 2025
  • This new generation of Atlas is stronger and more dexterous than its predecessors, with a broader range of motion that sometimes exceeds human capabilities.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The long-running film franchise first started with 1993's Sniper starring Tom Berenger as expert American gunner Thomas Beckett.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 10 May 2025
  • As of Thursday, expert predictions centered on a likely reentry of Kosmos 482 early Saturday.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • For apartment dwellers and people who prefer not to dangle midair, this clever contraption looks like a window-cleaning game changer.
    The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
  • The story centers on 16-year-old Haymitch (Joseph Zada), a clever and resourceful boy from District 12, who’s unexpectedly chosen for this edition of the games, which will feature a deadly twist: twice the number of tributes, with 48 children sent into the arena to battle for their lives.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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