as in skilled
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor
she is quite proficient at computer repair a proficient rendition of a difficult piano piece
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
an urgent call by the state department for proficients in Arabic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of proficient
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
That prospect would likely be a proficient pass-catcher who can complement Tremble in two-tight end sets.
—Mike Kaye
march 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
Arlyssa D. Becenti, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Hispanic kids were likewise lagging the state average, 37% proficient in English and 30% in mathematics.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proficient
Adjective
His firm, which does work for the defense sector, seeks to automate factories so that nonspecialized workers can become proficient in complex manufacturing industries.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
That prospect would likely be a proficient pass-catcher who can complement Tremble in two-tight end sets.
—Mike Kaye
march 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
The Ganado Unified School District saw a 159 percent increase in students who tested proficient.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Hispanic kids were likewise lagging the state average, 37% proficient in English and 30% in mathematics.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficient
Adjective
-
The clever tuning of the suspension and the steering wheel -- that's what our engineers are incredibly skilled at.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Cassie Shortsleeve is a skilled journalist with over a decade of experience reporting for the country's top health, travel, parenting, and lifestyle magazines.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Patrick De Haan, a petroleum expert at GasBuddy, said prices at the pump could start dropping as soon as this weekend, although the decline could initially amount to only a few cents per gallon.—
Marissa Sulek,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
To some extent, nearly every gas station is polluting the ground beneath it, experts say.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And since there is less total darkness during a full moon, people, in theory could be sleepier and less adept at driving.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Honey bees live in large social colonies and are adept at capitalizing on high-quality patches of flowers, leading to the concern that this species in particular may have a rapid, outsized effect on native bees that share the same food.—
Andony Melathopoulos,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Carlock and Means are masters at fourth-wall-breaking structure and winking, metatextual dialogue, and their ability to balance the goofiness of the series’ diversions with its straightforwardly heartwarming main narrative made each episode a breezy watch.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Consequently, the most famous masters of this era, like Peter Abelard, made their careers, in part, by cutting down competitors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Baron was known for his skillful driving on the racetrack and his love of cruising steep canyon roads.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The invader is a skillful art restorer, Lori Butler (Michaela Coel), who’s been hired by Julian’s greedy children, Barnaby (James Corden) and Sallie (Jessica Gunning), to work, or pose, as their father’s new assistant.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Those scarring years as a scholar and apprentice at Norwich are part of the motivation behind Mitchell’s new venture, Edge Futures.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Ann McColl, a constitutional scholar and former general counsel for the North Carolina Association of Educators, suggested the issues Leandro addressed may be in North Carolina courts again.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In an interview with CBS News, Aylesworth described her mother as an experienced swimmer who has been sailing for more than 10 years.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Mays isn’t even the most experienced transfer added — Auburn’s Eric Singleton had 534 yards last season.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Other guitar virtuosos might crave at least a little downtime between concluding a Las Vegas concert residency with one band and launching a national tour with another band, not but Joe Satriani.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Also appearing on the album are American composer Elliot Cole on synthesizer, French composer Benoit Rolland on electro-acoustics and Bangladeshi tabla virtuoso Mir Naqibul Islam.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficient. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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