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 Workers who lack proficiency in leveraging AI tools will fall behind, and those who have learned to harness it to elevate their work will advance. Marco Argenti, Fortune, 3 July 2025 Now, the proficiency rates vary between 32% and 42%, which shows there's still a lot of improvement to go, but the progress is impressive given that Tennessee's standards were criticized as being too lax nearly two decades ago. David Plazas, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Today, as the distance education coordinator at SCC, James has been drawing on his AI proficiency to help position SCC as an innovator and leader in the area of distance learning. Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 17 June 2025 Schools will be required to provide early intervention for K-8 students at-risk of not meeting grade level proficiency. Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for proficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficiency
Noun
  • Real leadership is knowing that momentum, not mastery, is the path forward.
    Erin Stafford, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • The Orioles’ bullpen imploded and the bats went ice cold to squander Rogers’ mastery in a 6-0 loss to the Miami Marlins that ended Baltimore’s three-game winning streak.
    Jacob Calvin Meyer, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • Rather, let your achievements and skills be the standout feature of your resume, not the design.
    Sho Dewan, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
  • Employers want to see proof of your skills, not just hear about them.
    Sho Dewan, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Overall, the new-gen Joy-Cons are solid improvements over the last, refining the play experience for Nintendo's latest hardware.
    Matt Kamen, Wired News, 20 July 2025
  • The experience is worth it The Puerto Rican economy, historically tied to the ups and downs of the U.S. economy, rarely grows on its own.
    Wilson Santiago Burgos, USA Today, 20 July 2025
Noun
  • The former sporting director's expertise led him to secure the role of team principal at Sauber, an outfit that will be taken over by Audi in 2026.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • In a way, the dichotomy simply reflects the challenge our team faces each day: Provide news in the moment, with expertise and precision, then add context and depth around important and complicated topics to help readers understand what is happening and why.
    Greg Borowski, jsonline.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Given that Caddy now also makes an all-electric Escalade IQ that puts out 750 hp and 785 lb-ft in standard form, could a V-Series version making 1,000 ponies be next?
    Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 15 July 2025
  • How players are displaying uncharacteristically low IQ's on defense.
    Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 20 July 2025
  • Ionescu’s command of the Starry ball (worth three points) was the separator.
    James Boyd, New York Times, 19 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Proficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficiency. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

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