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
  • The future in question is a refreshing discography of musical projects strung together by his soulful croons, innovative production tenets, and skillful storytelling rivaled only by his catalog itself.
    Kenneth J. Williams Jr., Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
  • To be good at Below Deck is to be skillful at two jobs, both the one on the boat and the one as a practitioner of the reality-television arts and sciences.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • This could exacerbate inequalities in the job market by increasing demand for highly skilled workers while marginalizing others.
    Adrian Stelmach, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Trump has already shown a willingness to break with his grassroots supporters and side with Musk and tech companies over visas for skilled workers.
    Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But rather than playing it safe, the foremost roast mistress delivered a masterful 10-minute monologue that was hilariously acerbic, pointed, and playful enough to keep the crowd on her good side.
    EW Staff, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Watch from the masterful original through the abysmal A Good Day to Die Hard in one sitting, only on Hulu.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Black Friday had become a competitive event requiring planning and cunning to get the good deals first.
    Mary Meehan, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Finding other disease-causing somatic mutations in rheumatology and related specialties will take skill, cunning, and a willingness to test cells and organs throughout the body.
    Jason Liebowitz, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead of creating huge reservoirs to dam the rivers and compromise their delicate ecology, Bhutanese turbines harness their natural flow, meaning a glut of power during the sodden summers and a dearth during the parched winters.
    By Charlie Campbell/Gelephu, Bhutan, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
  • But this transition period is a delicate moment, when the country could be caught off guard if the situation suddenly changes, says Goodman, who recommends the Biden administration share its pandemic playbook so incoming officials can game out different pandemic scenarios and assess readiness.
    Will Stone, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • By enabling refined dexterous control through enhanced sensory feedback, this research opens new pathways for individuals with upper limb loss to engage in complex tasks traditionally deemed impossible with current prosthetics.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Early on, there’s a verbally dexterous number about a Scrabble star, then a solo for that unverifiable informant, and later a puzzling group number for a story set at the Wailing Wall.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2024
Adjective
  • These events highlight top tequilas through expert blind tastings, celebrating craftsmanship and quality.
    Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
  • For expert insight, Moriah spoke with interior designer Pamela O’ Brien.
    Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • So, when the planet's insides are on the outside, spectroscopy offers a clever way to see within terrestrial worlds.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Soderbergh—doing his own cinematography, as often, under the pseudonym Peter Andrews—crafts a clever style to develop the identification of the camera’s gaze with that of the haunting spirit.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near deft

Cite this Entry

“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on deft

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