1
as in agility
ease and grace in physical activity
the effortless deftness with which he plays the piano
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skill
subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something
with deftness and aplomb she managed to keep the bickering relatives apart for the duration of the reception
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of deftness
The Wolves were outscored by 23 points in his 28 minutes, a stark contrast to Hartenstein, whose playmaking and deftness with the ball in his hands created open 3 after open 3 for the Thunder.
—
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
This sky-high figure indicates the display's deftness at producing deep blacks alongside bright whites, resulting in improved image quality in both light and dark scenes.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 7 Mar. 2026
Ridge’s equal deftness at the high end and the low is one of many apparent incongruities that the winery has managed to balance comfortably.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026
The deftness required to nail the relentless 16th-note melodies grows more transparent when unadorned.
—Aly Eleanor, Pitchfork, 19 Feb. 2026
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
This sky-high figure indicates the display's deftness at producing deep blacks alongside bright whites, resulting in improved image quality in both light and dark scenes.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 7 Mar. 2026
Ridge’s equal deftness at the high end and the low is one of many apparent incongruities that the winery has managed to balance comfortably.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026
The deftness required to nail the relentless 16th-note melodies grows more transparent when unadorned.
—Aly Eleanor, Pitchfork, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftness
Noun
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Thompson, who is in his second season with the Capitals and played a game for Canada at the Olympics as Jordan Binnington’s backup, thinks hockey is transitioning away from big, blocking goaltenders who were prioritized for their size to those with more agility in the crease.—
Stephen Whyno,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Within beauty and luxury, speed and agility have become critical differentiators.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The former three-star recruit has the production, movement skills and temperament to hear his name early.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Students learn an abundance of skills in business, art and design, fashion design, photography, software development, and more.—
Chris Wragge,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deftness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deftness. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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