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proficient

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word proficient distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of proficient are adept, expert, skilled, and skillful. While all these words mean "having great knowledge and experience in a trade or profession," proficient implies a thorough competence derived from training and practice.

proficient in translating foreign languages

When might adept be a better fit than proficient?

In some situations, the words adept and proficient are roughly equivalent. However, adept implies special aptitude as well as proficiency.

adept at doing long division

When could expert be used to replace proficient?

The words expert and proficient can be used in similar contexts, but expert implies extraordinary proficiency and often connotes knowledge as well as technical skill.

expert in the evaluation of wines

In what contexts can skilled take the place of proficient?

The synonyms skilled and proficient are sometimes interchangeable, but skilled stresses mastery of technique.

a skilled surgeon

When is it sensible to use skillful instead of proficient?

While the synonyms skillful and proficient are close in meaning, skillful implies individual dexterity in execution or performance.

skillful drivers

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 proficient
Adjective
Also impacted are the English Language Acquisition Grant, which helps students become proficient in English, and the Migrant Education grant supporting the needs of immigrant children. Amalia Huot-Marchand, The Hill, 11 July 2025 The Dodgers have become proficient at overcoming injuries with unprecedented roster depth and are close to getting to the other side of a vexing issue once again. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 5 July 2025 The ninth member, an at-large-commissioner, must have proficient knowledge of boater safety protocols, according to the bill introduced by Sens. Vickie Sawyer and Ted Alexander. Damenica Ellis july 4, Charlotte Observer, 4 July 2025 Read more to see how working with one additional student at a time in every classroom, the goal is to have 71% of Tennessee third graders proficient in reading by 2030 versus 41% today. David Plazas, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for proficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficient
Adjective
  • Many of these apprentices were not skilled tradesmen.
    Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
  • The same is true of pickleball, where a skilled player with the right paddle can cause problems for an opponent.
    Martin Cizmar, Wired News, 20 July 2025
Noun
  • The digital adept also had a nearly eight-year stretch at Teen Vogue.
    Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
  • 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
  • But despite those skillful trappings, the story soon feels ponderous.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 July 2025
  • And there was also skillful attention to the right marketing and distribution details.
    Andrew Tobias, Vulture, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • The consent order also called for an independent expert compliance contractor to monitor the hospital.
    Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 21 July 2025
  • Then, the movements of these tools guided by the hands of expert human surgeons could be recreated by conventional robotic arms like the ones used in STAR.
    Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • The key has been the gradual introduction of a new generation around the experienced core to supplement their talents with pace and vivacity.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 22 July 2025
  • Stan often sought advice from George Fletcher Babb, an experienced architect who was seventeen years older.
    Henry Wiencek July 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • Prior to running The Pitt's emergency department like a pro, the master was just a med student on ER.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 15 July 2025
  • Moore connected with Fiorito, then an Arizona State University master of fine arts student, in 2004.
    Laura Gersony, AZCentral.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Robert Osborn, an early thinker on lawn tennis, was also a religious scholar.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 12 July 2025
  • In addition to being a Sachs scholar, she was named a Gates Scholarship winner — a prestigious award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
    Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • Perhaps the most systematic attempt to bring order to this chaos comes from Google DeepMind, which in July 2024 proposed a framework with five levels of AGI performance: emerging, competent, expert, virtuoso, and superhuman.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
  • Even with Caitlin Clark once again sidelined, the Fever have been able to count on the virtuoso scoring talent of Kelsey Mitchell and the veteran expertise of Natasha Howard to help stabilize them.
    Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Proficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficient. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

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