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
Makiya Seminera The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
At Edison Elementary, 73% of third-grade students scored proficient in reading.
—Jennifer Palmer, Oklahoman, 27 Feb. 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
Nationally, the percentage of fourth graders considered proficient in reading sits just above 30%, according to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation's report card.
—Makiya Seminera The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
At Edison Elementary, 73% of third-grade students scored proficient in reading.
—Jennifer Palmer, Oklahoman, 27 Feb. 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
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Having spent a decade in lower-skilled positions at Virco, including in shipping and receiving, Moss is excited to have this chance.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
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Many of the region’s preschools operate on shoe-string budgets, serving largely low-income families who cannot afford the tuition hikes that would cover higher-skilled teachers or extra training.—
Michael Cuglietta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Grammarly's parent company was hit with a class-action lawsuit on Thursday from one of the authors quoted as an expert in its tool.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
12 Mar. 2026
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Easing installation hurdles While OpenClaw has surged in popularity recently, experts have previously pointed out limitations to the AI agent's mass adoption, including a complex installation process that's challenging for nontechnical users.—
Evelyn Cheng,Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As an actress, Avery is an equally adept story teller.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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But just as it is said that both John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan were extremely adept at the age of television.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Open positions include detention officer, recreation supervisor, certified medical assistant, psychiatrist, shift supervisor, assistant shift supervisor, master scheduler, locksmith, maintenance worker and human resource assistant.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
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And though the grill master in you may automatically want to put a firepit or outdoor kitchen under your new corner pergola, doing so could pose a serious fire or smoke hazard.—
Melissa Minton,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Ryan plays a character who’s unbelievably skillful and unbelievably scared.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
-
That was so skillful and subtle.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Since the 1970s, feminist scholars have been actively documenting the ways menstruation has been used to ground false arguments about women’s weakness, invalidism, and inferiority in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
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Child actor Jax James has been set in the series regular role of Dougie, Maureen’s only son who is not even ten but acts like a 60-year-old scholar and has no time for childish fancies.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Panthers bring in an experienced tackle The Panthers have reached a contract agreement with former Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Stone Forsythe, a league source confirmed to The Charlotte Observer.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
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According to an entry posted Monday on the Bring Charles Home website, family, friends and experienced volunteers will work with the search and rescue teams.—
Elissa Jorgensen,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But this is why, like any virtuoso, there is an undeniable continuity of his work.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
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Abdul-Jabbar, the low-post virtuoso who made more than 50% of his shots in 19 straight seasons to start his career, attempted only 28,307 field goals – and just 18 of them were 3-pointers after the shot was introduced to the league midway through his career.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficient. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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