Synonym Chooser

How is the word skilled distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of skilled are adept, expert, proficient, and skillful. While all these words mean "having great knowledge and experience in a trade or profession," skilled stresses mastery of technique.

a skilled surgeon

When might adept be a better fit than skilled?

The synonyms adept and skilled are sometimes interchangeable, but adept implies special aptitude as well as proficiency.

adept at doing long division

When can expert be used instead of skilled?

The meanings of expert and skilled largely overlap; however, expert implies extraordinary proficiency and often connotes knowledge as well as technical skill.

expert in the evaluation of wines

When is it sensible to use proficient instead of skilled?

In some situations, the words proficient and skilled are roughly equivalent. However, proficient implies a thorough competence derived from training and practice.

proficient in translating foreign languages

When could skillful be used to replace skilled?

While in some cases nearly identical to skilled, skillful implies individual dexterity in execution or performance.

skillful drivers

Examples of skilled in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web Press play above to see what happens when human lie detector meets skilled liar. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 21 Oct. 2024 In industries such as marketing, banking, and healthcare, where AI is becoming increasingly integrated, the need for skilled professionals is acute. Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024 In contrast to ethnic Koreans from China and former Soviet republics, who are increasingly being called upon to provide cheap labor for declining industries like manufacturing, Korean Americans are being recruited by companies and universities as skilled workers and students with a Western cachet. Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024 Lyndi is creative beyond writing and is skilled in painting, drawing and sculpture. Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 12 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for skilled 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skilled
Adjective
  • Both versions delivered a skillful cocktail of laughs and scares without true paranormal activity.
    Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Also, Cignetti’s skillful use of NIL resources to help build a talented roster has been remarkable.
    Mark LaSota, Ph.D., Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Methane is adept at absorbing red wavelengths in the visible spectrum and scattering blue light.
    Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The idea is to target points props for high-usage point guards who are adept at running the pick-and-roll (PnR) and can pull up against the Celtics.
    Matt Modi, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Being agile involves having a diverse team of skilled translators who are proficient in a wide range of languages, including those that might be on the rise due to changing global dynamics.
    Irene Agnew, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
  • However, there is some progress—more elementary students are proficient in reading compared to last year, with performance now above pre-pandemic levels for the first time.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Yet Sunday’s 26-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks was just what the Rams needed, a reminder that one of the league’s youngest teams ultimately has to rely on its most experienced players.
    Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Daou, who had been a high-level campaign staffer for John Kerry and Hillary Clinton before turning against the two-party system, was by far the most experienced political strategist in West’s circle.
    Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Courtney Klosterman is a home insights expert at Hippo Insurance.
    Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024
  • More and more expert hunters confess that late October—not mid-November—is the best time to kill a specific mature target buck.
    Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • The numbers might tell us what people need, but only a practiced marketer's hand can weave those findings into a brand.
    Sahil Sethi, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
  • The sun hung directly above azure waters of the northern Galapagos Marine Reserve, casting a glare as a small boat bobbed gently amidst the swells, its bow cutting through the calm surface with practiced ease.
    Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near skilled

Cite this Entry

“Skilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skilled. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on skilled

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