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
Adjective
  • Such trends have already been observed in studies of highly skilled immigrant labor – which can add an additional 6% in entrepreneurial activity to a city within three years.
    London School of Economics, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Feliz plays Samantha Reed who has been trained by her father to be a weapons expert, skilled martial artist and true chameleon all while hiding a mysterious past.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • As a global hub of graffiti art, the entire London landscape is scattered with masterful murals.
    Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Image Image In contrast, this masterful Zegna collection, designed by Alessandro Sartori, Zegna’s longstanding artistic director, demanded close inspection and a good bit of attention.
    Jacob Gallagher, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The episode also introduced Andy Garcia as Galino, a powerful and cunning cartel boss.
    Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
  • Black Friday had become a competitive event requiring planning and cunning to get the good deals first.
    Mary Meehan, Forbes, 10 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
  • The talk show co-hosts brought in two expert piercers from So Gold Studios from Brooklyn, N.Y. to do the piercings live on the air.
    Rachel McRady, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025
  • There will be children’s activities, educational exhibits, expert horticultural speakers, food vendors and entertainment.
    Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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

Thesaurus Entries Near deft

Cite this Entry

“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on deft

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