1
as in mastery
a highly developed skill in or knowledge of something
surprised by his proficiency at the game after only the briefest explanation of the rules
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skills
knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something
acquired proficiency at golf through long hours of practice
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 proficiency
Exposure Is Not Enough In the Reddit thread, commenters pointed to a decline in typing proficiency and basic troubleshooting skills as evidence that something has changed.
—
Darlin Tillery, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
State troopers said that up to half of truckers at some Florida weigh stations fail to meet English proficiency requirements.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The division of responsibility has left Israel to hunt and kill Iranian leaders ruthlessly, using an intelligence apparatus built up to assassinate with lethal proficiency.
—Greg Miller, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026
In assessment after assessment, most Latino and Black third graders fall short of proficiency.
—Daniel L Gordon, Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proficiency
Darlin Tillery, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
State troopers said that up to half of truckers at some Florida weigh stations fail to meet English proficiency requirements.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The division of responsibility has left Israel to hunt and kill Iranian leaders ruthlessly, using an intelligence apparatus built up to assassinate with lethal proficiency.
—Greg Miller, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026
In assessment after assessment, most Latino and Black third graders fall short of proficiency.
—Daniel L Gordon, Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficiency
Noun
-
The Prado is a gold mine of mastery and inspiration.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
That unnerving bawl, which reappears at the rousing finale of the Barcelona concert, reflects the control Ciani has over her instrument, a mastery she’s built over almost 50 years of practice.—
Andrew Ryce,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Far from the mortal enemies they are destined to become, the pair become friends and combine sleuthing skills to try and solve a globe-trotting mystery that unfolds over the eight episodes.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Lane is a traits bet with real movement skills for his frame.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fudd also has experience on the international level with USA Basketball, winning a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup, 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup and 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.—
Briauna Brown,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The new design will give travelers more leg and knee room, said Mauricio Parise, Delta's vice president of brand experience.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lauren Fiala, an adjunct professor in Kent State’s viticulture program, brings expertise from a 20-plus-year career to her role as winemaker at Baci Winery.—
Julia Sayers Gokhale,
Midwest Living,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The tech company will use its expertise to help the automaker improve its digital services, beef up its cybersecurity, and enhance its engineering capabilities.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ahead of the draft, NFL IQ transformed raw data from the NFL Combine and team needs, free agency moves made and more for this hub that provides fans access to key insights and puts them in the shoes of front office decision makers.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Fluoride exposure from drinking water during childhood has no impact on IQ in adolescence or adulthood, a new study published Monday finds.—
Youri Benadjaoud,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Then, on the other side of the river by the draft stage, there will be medical tents from AHN and UPMC, along with AHN's command center at Nova Place.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Washington wanted to test if the Iranian command, after seeing the destruction from six weeks of war and the killing of its Supreme Leader, would now bend to its will, experts said.—
Saeed Shah,
Time,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Proficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficiency. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
