DEFT Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'deft' different from other adjectives like it?

The words adroit and dexterous are common synonyms of deft . While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling. // a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

Q: When is it sensible to use 'adroit' instead of 'deft'?

The words adroit and deft are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Q: In what contexts can 'dexterous' take the place of 'deft'?

In some situations, the words dexterous and deft are roughly equivalent. However, dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation. // unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

deft

adjective

ˈdeft

Definition of deft next

as in virtuoso

accomplished with trained ability a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dextrous

skillful with the hands the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deft different from other adjectives like it?

The words adroit and dexterous are common synonyms of deft. While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling.

a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

When is it sensible to use adroit instead of deft?

The words adroit and deft are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

In what contexts can dexterous take the place of deft?

In some situations, the words dexterous and deft are roughly equivalent. However, dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation.

unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

Examples 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 deft Well, pretty gruesomely, but not without the deft emotional touch that marks the best of TMNT. —

Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 31 Dec. 2024 But to watch Tanaka up close is a masterclass in how to run the show in midfield with deft touches of the ball and sprayed passes from impossible angles. —

Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024 The fight in the restroom required a deft hand for how petty, casual frustrations can turn deadly. —

Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 29 Dec. 2024 This sequence, the show’s comic high point, represents at once a deft piece of stagecraft that, in the cacophony of angry comments projected behind the heads of Don and company, becomes a clever comic dissection of the public square in the age of Zoom. —

Daniel D'addario, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deft

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deft

Adjective

But Vancouver nonetheless controlled the second stanza of the contest — first levelling the score, and then taking the lead with a persistent, skillful shift on which Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson were able to combine for the key go-ahead goal.

— Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
His length and explosiveness pair well with a skillful touch and a sharp eye for where teammates are located on the perimeter.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025