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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 Meanwhile, 50 speakers fill the room with Attenborough’s skillful narration, sounds from the natural world and original music by the composer Nick Powell. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025 The only things required for it are basic civility, skillful problem-solving and responsible communication. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 18 June 2025 Finnegans Wake, in his skillful hands, is a tapestry of all the works Joyce ever wrote, the final and protracted project of a writer who could never stop thinking about Ireland. Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025 Their smart, aggressive defense disorients even the smoothest spacing and the most skillful shooters. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for skillful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skillful
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
Adjective
  • Beyond their records, Ali and Usyk share other similarities, such as brilliant footwork, masterful defense and an Einstein-level boxing IQ.
    Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • Known for his signature visual style and masterful tension-building in crime stories, Kim now turns his lens to the glamorous yet cutthroat world of K-Pop, exploring the fierce desires and ambitions that drive it.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • Sheeraz is also adept at timing; if his foe offers a slight opening, Sheeraz can exploit it and land a powerful strike.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • Noni Madueke is adept at doing the same, arriving on the right wing (with Nkunku himself switching from right to left) before finishing the game on the left during his cameo — as shown below.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • The plaintiffs are also asking Battaglia to strike the testimony of the county’s expert six witnesses.
    Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2025
  • Following the hollowing-out of the nation’s scientific infrastructure through deep funding cuts and the firing of federal scientists, the executive order is an attempt to rewrite the rules of how our expert bureaucracy operates.
    David Michaels, The Atlantic, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • Statewide, 28 schools got A grades despite at least half of their students not being proficient in language arts, while 56 schools got the top grade even though half or more of their students scored poorly in math.
    Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
  • Some analysts said a new category of jobs could require humans to evaluate the quality and authenticity of AI output, while others said AI may become proficient enough to negate many of those roles.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • Erin Enderlin and Sunny Sweeney are country music superfans who are blessed to be Grand Ole Opry regulars, with eight albums released between them over the past two decades and a peerless set of artistic support.
    Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 13 July 2025
  • Ginger Morris, originally from the Rio Grande Valley, cut her artistic teeth on shows from groups such as Austin Musical Theatre.
    Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • The Meaning For The Industry Phosphor Capital represents a meaningful evolution in venture capital: one where experienced founders are becoming specialized backers who understand the YC journey firsthand.
    Dasha Shunina, Forbes.com, 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
Adjective
  • Tasters enjoyed Canada Dry’s balance of flavors, noting that its delicate citrus played well with a sharp bitter note on the back of their tongues.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 July 2025
  • For instance, delicate fabrics like wool, silk, or linen will likely have different washing requirements than white cotton garments.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 12 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Skillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skillful. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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