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
  • These additional components underscore the importance of music, movement, libations, skillful presentation, and audience participation to masquerade more broadly.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
  • Who lives and who dies depends on a slew of variable factors: Where they are tried, how skillful their attorneys are, the whims of prosecutors, quirks in the law, the dispositions of judges and jurors, and what victims want.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Deploying this type of technology at scale could not only help identify at-risk patients for proactive monitoring but also address the global need for medical professionals, with the U.S. alone requiring 122,000 skilled physicians by 2032.
    Max Votek, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • Reporter Kate Bartlett says Ramaphosa, a skilled negotiator who worked alongside Nelson Mandela to end apartheid, may appeal to Trump's transactional side and U.S. efforts to counter China in Africa.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • Elie’s masterful survey is a group portrait of artists and their fellow travelers who participated during a bloody crossroads in American life, when Ronald Reagan’s ascension to the White House in 1980 collapsed the walls between church and state, sparking a counterrevolution across the arts.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
  • The series is being produced by Science Saru, which previously worked on anime series like Devilman Crybaby, Star Wars Visions, and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and it's been praised by fans and critics alike for its stunning production values, touching storytelling, and masterful animation.
    Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • McLaren’s Piastri began in pole position and initially held off Verstappen before the Dutchman displayed all the brilliance, cunning and bravery that has propelled him to four world championships, holding off the brakes as long as possible and sliding around the outside on the first turn.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 18 May 2025
  • Unfortunately, Porsha isn’t cunning enough for this to work.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • This transformation requires a delicate balancing act.
    Miles Ward, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • 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
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
  • Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 May 2025
  • There won’t be a tipping point, because the other side is too expert at lying.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 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 29 May. 2025.

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