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 Under the deft hand of Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler, this expression showcases the complexity and craftsmanship that define Uncle Nearest's premium offerings. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 Few games capture with such deft poetry the sensory delight that can occur while simply being in nature. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025 At their best, these works are deft and authentic—rigorously researched but effortlessly executed. Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025 Djokovic was pointing towards Federer, an eight-time Wimbledon champ, who retired in 2022 with 20 major titles and was known for his deft touch and ability to serve-and-volley effectively. Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for deft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deft
Adjective
  • The story follows Winston Smith, a skillful worker rewriting history in the Ministry of Truth, who starts to look back fondly on the days before the Party took over the region of Oceania and implemented their cult of personality devoid of free thought and individuality.
    Robert English, EW.com, 30 July 2025
  • But the game's structure also allows skillful and/or impatient players to zip to the game's conclusion quite quickly, rushing through the visually inventive bosses that guard the game's major chokepoints.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025
Adjective
  • The team must be skilled in rigorous experimentation to enable translation of data into meaningful insights.
    Mohit Agrawal, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The company could also serve as a magnet for high skilled and high wage labor and lead to spinoff companies, the city’s presentation said.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet this infectious look into the masterful brain of the single mom and former police department cleaning woman — who earned her job as an LAPD crime consultant — propelled the freshman series into one of broadcast TV's few bright spots.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Whether this is a real departure or a masterful storyline, the wrestling world is now buzzing.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Köhler specializes in cunning, tonally surprising films about cross-cultural disconnection, and Gavagai is his most ambitious and expansive film yet—a pinpoint-accurate account of moral crises and social biases, modern and ancient, internal and external.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
  • But as the supervisors tweaked the incentives, a new form of cunning arose.
    Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Adjective
  • Exercising sound discretion while remaining faithful to the grantor’s wishes is a delicate balancing act that requires insight and judgment.
    Royce Ramey, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Another layer of pastry sits atop the mixture and is covered in crystal sugar, which adds a nice sweetness to contrast the tart filling, as well as a delicate crunch in each bite.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Wednesday whisked the dexterous appendage and his digits to her Uncle Fester, who wass sleeping in Eugene’s bee shed, to revive him with his electric shock ability.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025
  • By creating a fuller picture which centers Medusa in her own story, Hynes creates a more dexterous Medusa, one imbued with more agency and less tragedy.
    Irenosen Okojie July 11, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • This story has been updated to include expert comments.
    Matthew Impelli, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Microsoft says it’s developed a prototype AI program that can reverse engineer malware, automating a task usually reserved for expert human security researchers.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Later, of course, movies based on the series starring Tom Cruise became blockbusters, but were never as clever as the original television series, relying more on outlandish stunts and special effects.
    Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • These clever yet bizarre gadgets are both fun and oddly useful.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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