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
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
John Kell, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
The Defense secretary emphasized that every member of the armed forces should be proficient in basic infantry skills.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
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
The new model is also reportedly better at following instructions and intended to be more proficient at using an individual’s computer to take actions for them.
—John Kell, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
The Defense secretary emphasized that every member of the armed forces should be proficient in basic infantry skills.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
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
-
Approximately 90 percent of formalwear garments are manufactured in Asia, including in China, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Myanmar and other countries that have the skilled labor and infrastructure needed to produce them.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
13 Oct. 2025
-
If your Wi-Fi is protected by a weak password or uses outdated encryption, a skilled attacker might gain access without ever stepping inside your house.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
As if that wasn’t enough, Twenty One Pilots also continues to demonstrate a skillful way of designing TikTok- and Instagram story-ready moments for fans of all flavors.—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Ragnar is one of the very best Nordic crime writers, as skillful in thrillers like this series as in murder mystery stories.—
Anders de la Motte,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Earlier this week, OpenAI announced a council of eight experts who will advise the company and provide insight into how AI affects users’ mental health, emotions and motivation.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
17 Oct. 2025
-
This is done in an effort to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses and decimate civilian morale, experts have said.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But Tilley's experienced eye noticed there appeared to be a signal coming down from the sky.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Alan Simons is an experienced brewer who spent seven years with Backcountry Brewery in Frisco and another seven leading the beermaking at Dry Dock Brewery in Aurora.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Amber has since earned her master's in social work from Louisiana State University (LSU), per the family's Instagram.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Zarco trained Abdiel Iván Batista, a master jungle rescue instructor who is the director of the Chagres Survival School, CEO of the Safe Jungles Foundation and member of the Panamanian Red Cross First Aid Corps.—
Kit Bernardi,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Most legal scholars interpret this to mean that the President’s duty is to spend the money Congress appropriates, and that the President does not have the power to withhold funds.—
Andy Kroll,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Harvard’s Erica Chenoweth, director of the Non-Violent Action Lab and one of the world’s leading scholars of protest movements, has shown that peaceful resistance is twice as likely to succeed as violent resistance.—
Nancy Gibbs,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Palamides, as a physical-comedy virtuoso, loves mess—there’s a splash zone near the front, with audience members wearing plastic ponchos.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
-
D’Angelo was raised in a deeply religious Pentecostal family and got his musical start in the church, becoming a virtuoso at several instruments.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficient. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share