SKILLS Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

skills

noun

plural of skill

as in expertise

knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something he had acquired valuable skills during his life at sea

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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 skills The same skills made college graduates Great Recession-proof and dotcom-bust-proof. — Douglas A. Hicks, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026 It’s designed for anyone who wants to retain information more effectively, whether that’s preparing for exams, remembering presentations, learning new skills, or simply reducing forgetfulness. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 9 Aug. 2026 Defunding the education that produces those skills won’t protect students. — Dr. Alan Kadish, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026 While athletes often possess valuable skills like resilience and competitive drive, the study highlights a self-reinforcing system. — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 In his eyes, California was propped up by a string of successful entrepreneurs, primarily in technology, who were more the result of random business events than of any state-specific economic skills. — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026 He simply was never taught anything until he was thrown out on the street with no skills. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026 Others build friendships, share hobbies or pick up new skills. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skills

Noun

Raytheon supplied mission-system expertise, including sonar and electronics integration.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
Whether that includes external self-analysis alongside the expertise Brighton provide remains to be seen.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of expertise

Noun

From sneak peeks of new Disney movies and shows to first looks at new experiences and products, D23 is the place where news is made for fans of Disney's theme parks, characters and more.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Closer to the season is when teams shift from building towards the demands of competitive football to trying to replicate them, while giving as many players as possible that experience.

— George Edwards, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of experience

Noun

The dramatic swings in literacy proficiency have sent shockwaves through the education community.

— Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Google says training across languages, dialects, and different proficiency levels helped the model learn structures shared between sign languages.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of proficiency

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skillfulness

skills

skim

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“Skills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skills. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of skills

noun

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