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Synonym Chooser

How is the word skillful distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of skillful are adept, expert, proficient, and skilled. While all these words mean "having great knowledge and experience in a trade or profession," skillful implies individual dexterity in execution or performance.

skillful drivers

In what contexts can adept take the place of skillful?

While in some cases nearly identical to skillful, adept implies special aptitude as well as proficiency.

adept at doing long division

When is it sensible to use expert instead of skillful?

Although the words expert and skillful have much in common, expert implies extraordinary proficiency and often connotes knowledge as well as technical skill.

expert in the evaluation of wines

When would proficient be a good substitute for skillful?

The synonyms proficient and skillful are sometimes interchangeable, but proficient implies a thorough competence derived from training and practice.

proficient in translating foreign languages

When might skilled be a better fit than skillful?

While the synonyms skilled and skillful are close in meaning, skilled stresses mastery of technique.

a skilled surgeon

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 skillful 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 When disruption looms, clear insight into talent performance can help firms prioritize and retain high contributors while making skillful adjustments where necessary. Amy Bjarnason, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 Seider blends punishing physicality with smooth skating, skillful puck moving and unmatched durability. The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for skillful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skillful
Adjective
  • The team must be skilled in rigorous experimentation to enable translation of data into meaningful insights.
    Mohit Agrawal, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • That third party might be a therapist, a religious leader or a friend who is skilled at remaining neutral and asking questions.
    R Eric Thomas, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet this infectious look into the masterful brain of the single mom and former police department cleaning woman — who earned her job as an LAPD crime consultant — propelled the freshman series into one of broadcast TV's few bright spots.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Whether this is a real departure or a masterful storyline, the wrestling world is now buzzing.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Among other findings: that Chinese models are catching up to American ones, that corporations are getting on board with AI investment, and that LLMs are becoming more adept at clinical diagnosis.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Newcastle have become adept at delivering open-play crosses to the back post.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This story has been updated to include expert comments.
    Matthew Impelli, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Microsoft says it’s developed a prototype AI program that can reverse engineer malware, automating a task usually reserved for expert human security researchers.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Schlesinger is equally proficient on acoustic and electric keyboards, and his compositions are exhilarating.
    Bret Saunders, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2025
  • As the district struggles to fill vacant teaching positions, and aims to improve test scores with under 15% of students scoring as proficient in reading and math, managing class sizes could be one lever for success.
    Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 31 July 2025
Adjective
  • That can’t be said for this particular Campania, which is chock-full of color, character and artistic photography.
    Kissa Castaneda, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Many of them find fulfillment in volunteer work or artistic outlets: Mannes has a friend who organizes a trash clean up club and another who is learning the art of ceramics.
    Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • According to the study, all participants were highly experienced, and AI was the only modifiable factor among them.
    Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Then hire an experienced professional—maybe two—to own them outright.
    Chad Willardson, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Another layer of pastry sits atop the mixture and is covered in crystal sugar, which adds a nice sweetness to contrast the tart filling, as well as a delicate crunch in each bite.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Exercising sound discretion while remaining faithful to the grantor’s wishes is a delicate balancing act that requires insight and judgment.
    Royce Ramey, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Skillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skillful. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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