deft

adjective

ˈdeft 

: characterized by facility and skill

the photographer's deft use of lighting

the deft fingers of the trumpeter

deftly adverb

deftness

ˈdef(t)-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• adroit
• artful
• bravura
• delicate
• dexterous
• dextrous
• expert
• masterful
• masterly
• practiced
• practised
• skillful
• virtuoso
• workmanlike

Choose the Right Synonym for deft

dexterous, adroit, deft mean ready and skilled in physical movement.

dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation.

unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness.

the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause

deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling.

a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

Examples of deft in a Sentence

The photographer is known for her deft use of lighting.

a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over

Recent Examples on the Web

Other times, Bubic showcased a deft pitching arsenal. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025

Add the deft hands of Francona’s pair of bench coaches — Brad Mills and Freddie Benavides — and there was a calm, consistent workday throughout camp. —C. Trent Rosecrans, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025

Aduba holds everything together with a deft turn, refusing to let Cordelia Cupp’s on-paper oddities ever become a caricature. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2025

On the next shift, a Zac Jones high stick caught Johansson in the face, drawing a double minor penalty, and Gaudreau made a deft move at the top of the crease for a power play goal to pull the Wild even again. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

perhaps continuing Middle English daffte, daft, defte "well-mannered, gentle, dull, foolish" — more at daft

Note: Rather than being derived directly from Middle English, Modern English deft may go back to an unattested Old English *gedefte (with umlaut), with a meaning "fit, ready" developing to "apt, skilfull"; the sense shift is otherwise difficult to account for, though the lack of any certain attestation of deft in the sense "skillful" before the later 16th century makes this scenario hypothetical.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deft

• cleft
• heft
• left
• theft
• bereft

Kids Definition

deft

adjective

ˈdeft 

: quick and skillful in action

knitting with deft fingers

deftly adverb

deftness

ˈdef(t)-nəs 

noun