dexterity

noun

dek-ˈster-ə-tē How to pronounce dexterity (audio)
Definition of dexteritynext
1
as in ability
mental skill or quickness the ambassador showed great dexterity in his handling of the touchy situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in agility
ease and grace in physical activity the juggler needed lots of dexterity in order to keep all five balls in the air at the same time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dexterity The system, currently a proof-of-concept, is designed for dexterity-intensive tasks across various industries and can be deployed on existing hardware within weeks. — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 As the attractive secretary, she is forced to fend off not only Hart’s advances (with the cheery but firm dexterity of a woman with no alternative and many years of practice) but also the chilly scorn of her female colleagues. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Strength/ Motor Training Strength training can help people who have lost hand strength or dexterity due to a brain injury. — Connie Etermadi, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Robots even participated in six events challenging hand dexterity, including picking up beans and driving screws. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dexterity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dexterity
  1. ability
  2. agility
  3. prowess
  4. talent
  5. proficiency
  6. finesse
  7. aptitude
  8. competence
Noun
  • Suppressing this same pathway produced the opposite result, limiting the ability to switch behavior, driving longer bouts of the repetitive behavior, as per the release.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
  • One of the bills, introduced by Stefani, expands the ability of certified nurse-midwives to provide care for pregnant and postpartum patients by specifying that supervision by a physician is not required when providing certain services.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of ability
Noun
  • Open platforms are gaining ground because modern robotics demands a level of agility, interoperability and innovation that no single organization can deliver alone.
    — John Healy, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Penix tried a similar process in Week 1, going through agility and movement drills to see how his knee reacted.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of agility
Noun
  • The vocal and acting prowess of the cast stands out, in a large-scale production that matches the level of major international musicals.
    — Franchesca Guim, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Malik Willis’ rushing prowess really showed against the Kansas City Chiefs.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of prowess
Noun
  • Her session will examine the commercial and strategic considerations involved in taking creative and technology-led projects from development to market, alongside the evolving relationship between talent, technology and business.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
  • And talent with a liberal arts education—reading- and writing-heavy disciplines spanning humanities, natural sciences, sociology, and the arts—will have the most well-rounded skill set to thrive.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of talent
Noun
  • Nearly half of long-term English learners had already demonstrated proficiency in English but had not been reclassified, according to research cited by the Assembly Education Committee.
    — Emily Woodruff, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The California State University system currently requires undergraduate applicants whose schooling was in a language other than English to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language to prove their proficiency in the language.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of proficiency
Noun
  • Technically speaking, Amber turns in a pretty stellar week-one cha-cha, and the notes from the judges are mostly about finesse and refinement.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • These reproductions are surprisingly effective, partly because the tapestry was made by many hands to begin with, and free embroidery is not an art of finesse.
    — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of finesse
Noun
  • But their aptitude and affection for the sport would be passed down through two different families in two different states, from one generation to the next, before reaching Luke and his brothers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Training can improve technique and consistency, but leaders should also be honest about the role of natural aptitude.
    — Matthew Darienzo, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of aptitude
Noun
  • In a room full of fascists and fools, Ahmed’s projection of competence—and of the spluttering exasperation that is the lot of the competent—proves a genuine balm.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
  • And indeed Verity — directed with straightforward competence and a faint wry smirk by Michael Showalter and adapted by screenwriter Nick Antosca (Apple TV’s Cape Fear series) — is a mild lark for its first hour.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of competence

Browse Nearby Words

dewy-eyed
dexterity
dexterous
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dexterity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dexterity. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tittle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All