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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skills
knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something
acquired proficiency at golf through long hours of practice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of proficiency
Lastly, players can also pick up more powerful weapons that grow stronger as their proficiencies increase.
—
Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Required qualifications included proficiency in programming and query languages.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2026
Some tech leaders have claimed that AI has enabled them to accomplish more with smaller teams, thanks in part to AI’s proficiency in writing code.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Iowa had minimal increases in the reading proficiency of its students in 2024 statewide assessments, rising from 73% to 74% of sixth graders reading proficiently.
—Shawn Datchuk, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proficiency
Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Required qualifications included proficiency in programming and query languages.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2026
Some tech leaders have claimed that AI has enabled them to accomplish more with smaller teams, thanks in part to AI’s proficiency in writing code.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Iowa had minimal increases in the reading proficiency of its students in 2024 statewide assessments, rising from 73% to 74% of sixth graders reading proficiently.
—Shawn Datchuk, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficiency
Noun
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Yet Israel has become a water superpower through its mastery of and investment in desalination, the process of converting seawater into freshwater.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
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Tucci rates her mastery of the language very highly.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Try this instead The prevalence of vaguebooking also speaks to the breakdown of communication skills more broadly.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Facing a crisis in critical thinking skills, some are reviving oral exams, forcing students to defend their assignments to instructors in real time.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The couple co-founded The Gap after a frustrating shopping experience when Don Fisher couldn’t find a pair of jeans that fit, according to the retailer.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
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For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Noun
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The employees’ union interpreted this initiative as an assault on local and subject-matter expertise.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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Andrée said more than seven in 10 consumers, globally, believe AI usage actually increases their desire for human expertise and creativity.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Herasight goes further by also predicting height, BMI, longevity and even IQ.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
6 May 2026
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The logistics provider is continuing to scale its AI warehouse operating system GXO IQ, moving it from a pilot to a global rollout.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Californians this year will elect a new lieutenant governor — the second in command in the state who sits on several key commissions related to higher education, land use and economic development — a new treasurer, and a new state superintendent of public instruction.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
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Wall Street analysts came away from Greg Abel's first annual meeting at Berkshire Hathaway broadly impressed with his command of the business, but underwhelmed by the company's restrained pace of share buybacks.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficiency. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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