variants also dextrous

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dexterous different from other adjectives like it?

The words adroit and deft are common synonyms of dexterous. While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation.

unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

In what contexts can adroit take the place of dexterous?

The words adroit and dexterous can be used in similar contexts, but 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

Where would deft be a reasonable alternative to dexterous?

While in some cases nearly identical to dexterous, deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling.

a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

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 dexterous 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 Making a hand that is as dexterous as a human one is one of the biggest challenges in robotics. Bloomberg, Oc Register, 13 June 2025 Kristin Chenoweth and Aaron Tveit both gave pitch-perfect on-the-spot deliveries as Erivo held out her microphone to them, but the most memorable was definitely Lambert, who blew the crowd away with spontaneous, dexterous riffs. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dexterous
Adjective
  • Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
    Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
  • This combination of liberal arts and engineering disciplines provided her with both analytical thinking skills and technical expertise, which would prove handy in her later roles in Silicon Valley.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Ragnar is one of the very best Nordic crime writers, as skillful in thrillers like this series as in murder mystery stories.
    Anders de la Motte, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Setting boundaries requires a balance of self-awareness and skillful communication.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Can Skjei, who’s skilled but had a nightmare first season in Nashville, bounce back?
    Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • But in addition to his reputation as a womanizer, Casanova was also a con man, a skilled liar who came from a family of actors and who over the course of his life manipulated and tricked countless people to maintain wealth and status.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Their streets are lined with lush trees and their Victorian homes are like doll houses, painted in pastels and boasting masterful woodwork that draws crowds of admirers.
    Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • As with earlier films such as Fire at Sea and Notturno, Gianfranco Rosi’s latest work is a masterful act of cinematic immersion.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The combination of clear instructions, clever engineering and high-energy videos makes CrunchLabs stand out among subscription boxes, offering a yearlong experience that feels fresh with each delivery.
    Emily Glover, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Luckily, clever Frances must have understood her caper was destined for failure.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Maigret must outwit some of Paris’s most cunning and violent criminals, while dealing with his own troubled past.
    Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
  • These subsidies were cunning, part of a decades-long effort to keep alive the myths that offshore wind energy is nearly self-sufficient and generates increasingly inexpensive electricity.
    Craig Rucker, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This delicate stocking reminds us of the ones from our grandparents that were hand stitched with love every year.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
  • As for glam and accessories, Jackson favored delicate rings, bracelet and dangle earrings in warm tones to augment her red dress.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dexterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dexterous. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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