variants
also dextrous
1
as in handy
skillful with the hands
the dexterous watchmaker was able to repair the antique watch's delicate gears and parts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skillful
accomplished with trained ability
dexterous handling of a potentially embarrassing situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 dexterous
By creating a fuller picture which centers Medusa in her own story, Hynes creates a more dexterous Medusa, one imbued with more agency and less tragedy.
—
Irenosen Okojie
july 11, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025
King has a blogger’s punch and an essayist’s analysis—her dexterous writing is intelligent, observant, and very, very funny.
—Literary Hub
july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
The touch screen, microphone, and stylus meant even those not dexterous enough for the typical shooters could find games perfect for them.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
Known for his dexterous falsetto and charisma as a performer, Christie made his name as a teen idol in the age of Frankie Valli, Frankie Avalon and Paul Anka.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Irenosen Okojie
july 11, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025
King has a blogger’s punch and an essayist’s analysis—her dexterous writing is intelligent, observant, and very, very funny.
—Literary Hub
july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
The touch screen, microphone, and stylus meant even those not dexterous enough for the typical shooters could find games perfect for them.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
Known for his dexterous falsetto and charisma as a performer, Christie made his name as a teen idol in the age of Frankie Valli, Frankie Avalon and Paul Anka.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dexterous
Adjective
-
Which butter dish is best? Room-temperature butter is always easier to spread on bread, rolls, and bagels than butter that’s come right from the fridge, making a butter dish a handy accessory for your kitchen.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
-
It’s made with airy-soft fabric and finished with a collar, contrast trim, and handy pockets — an easy throw-on for errands, brunch, and other activities.—
Toni Sutton,
People.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The more success rolled, the more damage done, the more skillful the hack and so on.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Powell, skillful at opaque Fed-speak, nonetheless signaled a simulative change is likely.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The team must be skilled in rigorous experimentation to enable translation of data into meaningful insights.—
Mohit Agrawal,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
That kind of determination and sacrifice is tough to find in a person, let alone a talented videographer who was also a skilled hunter in his own right.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Yet this infectious look into the masterful brain of the single mom and former police department cleaning woman — who earned her job as an LAPD crime consultant — propelled the freshman series into one of broadcast TV's few bright spots.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Whether this is a real departure or a masterful storyline, the wrestling world is now buzzing.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The most memorable of those came against Sheffield United, with two blockers at the near post (marked in white) and two runners from deep (black) allowing Pascal Struijk (yellow) to score from Joe Rothwell’s clever corner.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The result is a hollow movie—but its very hollowness gives rise to a diabolical twist that’s more than merely clever.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Send your questions below, and Ben will be online to offer his expert insight from 1pm-2pm UK time (8am-9am ET).—
Ben Dinnery,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Köhler specializes in cunning, tonally surprising films about cross-cultural disconnection, and Gavagai is his most ambitious and expansive film yet—a pinpoint-accurate account of moral crises and social biases, modern and ancient, internal and external.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
-
But as the supervisors tweaked the incentives, a new form of cunning arose.—
Craig S. Smith,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Speaking to the media is one of the more delicate requirements of the position.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
-
While the Great Lakes may seem to offer an endless supply of water, the balance is actually quite delicate.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dexterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dexterous. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share