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View synonyms for skillful

skillful

[ skil-fuhl ]

adjective

  1. having or exercising skill:

    a skillful juggler.

    Synonyms: ingenious, clever, apt, adept, deft, adroit, ready

    Antonyms: amateurish, clumsy, awkward

  2. showing or involving skill:

    a skillful display of fancy diving.

  3. Obsolete. reasonable; rational.


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Other Words From

  • skillful·ly adverb
  • skillful·ness noun
  • quasi-skillful adjective
  • quasi-skillful·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of skillful1

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; skill 1, -ful
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Synonym Study

Skillful, skilled, expert refer to readiness and adroitness in an occupation, craft, or art. Skillful suggests especially adroitness and dexterity: a skillful watchmaker. Skilled implies having had long experience and thus having acquired a high degree of proficiency: not an amateur but a skilled worker. Expert means having the highest degree of proficiency; it may mean much the same as skillful or skilled, or both: expert workmanship. dexterous.
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Example Sentences

To generalize, we might describe Thracian art as embodying a barbaric style — not as a term of derision but merely descriptive of a blunt, skillful fierceness so often encountered in its forms.

This doesn’t stop them from being excellent, skillful workers, and workers who will do dangerous, hard work for which farmers have trouble finding enough hands.

From Salon

It’s possible that the filmmaker is one of the busiest people in Hollywood, but he claims to “feel kind of lazy” because he’s so skillful at delegating.

Carter's visit was marked by skillful diplomatic footwork - and brinkmanship.

From BBC

“Very skillful steps and very beautiful sounds, they’ll play eight tunes.”

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