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 adept
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
Elias Burke, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
The video, which looked like a potential crisis, was actually just a fun, spontaneous moment for a swimming-proficient dog.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Lily Altavena, Freep.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proficient
Adjective
Raheem Sterling, who arrived at Manchester City in 2015 from Liverpool as a creative wide dribbler, became one of the most proficient goalscorers from the wing in Premier League history in his prime under Pep Guardiola, and Johnson’s career could be on course to follow a similar path.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
The video, which looked like a potential crisis, was actually just a fun, spontaneous moment for a swimming-proficient dog.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Pre-pandemic, 14% of economically disadvantaged third graders in Romulus scored advanced on the M-STEP reading test and 18% scored proficient.
—Lily Altavena, Freep.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficient
Adjective
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Set in 1819 Hispaniola, just prior to the Dominican Republic’s push for independence, the drama centers on an unexpected trio – a young Spanish noble, a skilled Chinese silk artisan and a Haitian soldier who’s abandoned his post.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
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Rather, the bots are skilled at mimicking human reactions to stressful situations, responding to users in ways that often reflect racist and sexist biases.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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An effective trustee is skilled in conflict resolution and adept at maintaining open communication while prioritizing the trust’s objectives.—
Royce Ramey,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Slot shares this staple of Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou’s attacking principles, with Porro adept at tucking inside to disrupt the opposition shape.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The more success rolled, the more damage done, the more skillful the hack and so on.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Powell, skillful at opaque Fed-speak, nonetheless signaled a simulative change is likely.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Real estate experts say claiming primary residences on different mortgages at the same time is often legal and rarely prosecuted.—
Robert Faturechi,
ProPublica,
6 Sep. 2025
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Typically, a peer-review process is required where multiple experts in the field provide feedback on the analysis before a publication is possible.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Before Park came in, United had signed just two players, albeit two highly experienced Champions League individuals in Sweden’s Julia Zigiotti Olme and Fridolina Rolfo.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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But placing unfinished or untested writing in front of the eyes of other experienced and respected writers actually takes courage.—
Beverly Gologorsky
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In addition to a law degree, Lee also holds a master’s in meteorology.—
Ray Long,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Davis, 55, who originated the role of the best and most knowledgeable Charms master at Hogwarts, becomes the first actor from the blockbuster film franchise to reprise a character in the TV adaptation set for 2027 premiere.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Leading genocide scholars passed a resolution this week that declared Israel’s actions in Gaza had met the legal definition of genocide.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, meanwhile, is referred to by public scholars and media in a variety of ways that emphasize Russia or President Vladimir Putin as an aggressive antagonist.—
Esther Brito Ruiz,
The Conversation,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Jorge Luis Pacheco takes the Break room stage Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. Hailing from Havana, Cuba, Pacheco is a virtuoso pianist, singer, composer, percussionist and arranger.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
24 Aug. 2025
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Born in East Harlem to Puerto Rican parents — and the younger brother of Charlie, another virtuoso keyboardist and bandleader — Palmieri reflected the city’s inner turmoil and avant-garde tendencies through a propulsive patchwork of jazz, Afro-Latin rhythms, funk, and psychedelia.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficient. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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