Definition of proficiencynext
1
as in mastery
a highly developed skill in or knowledge of something surprised by his proficiency at the game after only the briefest explanation of the rules

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2
as in skills
knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something acquired proficiency at golf through long hours of practice

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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 proficiency The fatal collision shocked South Florida’s Haitian community and quickly entered the national debate over immigration and commercial truck driver licenses because of Singh’s undocumented status and questions about his English proficiency. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026 Industries exporting to China will need workers with quality control capabilities, logistics coordination experience and, increasingly, Mandarin proficiency. Alex Daruty, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 Nickens was awarded the State Proficiency title in the Agriculture Mechanics Repair and Maintenance Placement proficiency category after advancing as the first-place winner in both the San Diego Section and Southern Region levels. Stephanie Ogilvie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026 On Saturday, standout moments included Kaitlin Butts delivering one of the most memorable acts of the day with her Chevy Riverfront Stage set, merging humor, charm and country music proficiency across her portfolio of fan-favorite tracks. Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for proficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficiency
Noun
  • Which signals of mastery increasingly deserve reconsideration?
    Michael Edmondson, Forbes.com, 4 June 2026
  • As condolences and recollections pour in, the common thread — one that matched my own experiences when living in Doha — was that beneath Al Attiyah’s encyclopedic knowledge of the region’s history and mastery of energy politics, his humility and warmth was what drew people in.
    Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • Argentina needs Messi’s elite skills to remain among the best in the world.
    NBC News, NBC news, 17 June 2026
  • ZipRecruiter’s Invite to Apply feature enables employers to contact prospects whose skills match an open role, including passive candidates who may not be actively searching for a new job.
    Audrey Payne, CNBC, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Sports features prominently across day one, with JioStar sports and live experiences CEO Ishan Chatterjee examining sport as a platform for fandom, AI and commerce, followed by ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta on cricket’s global expansion and La Liga president Javier Tebas on fan engagement and enforcement.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 June 2026
  • Siebel Newsom has said their experiences of bullying and remote schooling during the pandemic informed her views on restricting kids’ access to social media and the impacts of artificial intelligence on children’s mental health.
    Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • To the extent that AI tools have automated part of the job, the radiologists’ remaining tasks require a high level of formal training and specialized knowledge, or expertise.
    Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 11 June 2026
  • Kapur believes Honeywell is uniquely positioned to capitalize on that trend because of its deep domain expertise and the vast amount of operational data already flowing through its systems.
    Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • Two lower federal courts ruled that a holistic analysis of Smith’s IQ scores and other evidence, including his behavioral history and school records, proved he is intellectually disabled and should spend life behind bars rather than face execution.
    Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 10 Dec. 2025
  • Graver also backed Justice Neil Gorsuch’s suggestion that the court could clarify that states can’t treat a single IQ score in the low 70s as decisive or use other factors to outweigh IQ scores.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Starter Eric Lauer battles erratic fastball command and early damage yet completes six innings, while the Rays’ Nick Martinez matches him before a bullpen misstep to Rojas decides a tight opener.
    Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026
  • Siobhan/Grant’s song titles can only use single-syllable words, and Lily/Raph’s song titles have to be commands.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Proficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficiency. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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