1
as in agility
ease and grace in physical activity
the effortless deftness with which he plays the piano
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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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Recent Examples of deftness
Harbaugh balances building confidence and holding players accountable with the deftness of a violin virtuoso.
—
Daniel Popper, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Daniel Popper, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deftness
Noun
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Kalshi allows traders to see how decisions track daily, or even by the minute, providing agility that tops the six-week frequency of the New York Fed’s survey of primary dealers.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
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The robot is built around a durable aluminum-alloy exoskeleton, balancing strength with agility.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The designer honors his Azerbaijani heritage, working with artisans from across Azerbaijan and Georgia to create rich, unique textures, while helping to support rural communities and preserve fading artisanal skills.—
Amy O’Brien,
Vogue,
30 Jan. 2026
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According to a Forbes report, the app store is built on OM1, OpenMind’s modular operating system, which allows developers to create apps that package specific skills for distribution across multiple robot platforms.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deftness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deftness. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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