1
as in virtuoso
accomplished with trained ability
a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dextrous
skillful with the hands
the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deft
The White House benefits from the Kremlin’s deft baby-steps, insincere, inching towards peace.
—
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
What saves it, aside from Aster’s willingness to get much darker and escalate into gruesome violence, is the movie’s deft depiction of Joe’s downward spiral, embodied with watery-eyed dedication by Phoenix.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 16 May 2025
Wirtz is focused more on the micro, with delicate touches and deft flicks, compared to Szoboszlai’s macro traits of energy and power.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 May 2025
While those discussions could be weighed down by politics, Macfarlane’s touch is deft, giving us exactly enough to consider the question while also showing us how this is not just about rivers but about us.
—Valorie Castellanos Clark, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
What saves it, aside from Aster’s willingness to get much darker and escalate into gruesome violence, is the movie’s deft depiction of Joe’s downward spiral, embodied with watery-eyed dedication by Phoenix.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 16 May 2025
Wirtz is focused more on the micro, with delicate touches and deft flicks, compared to Szoboszlai’s macro traits of energy and power.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 May 2025
While those discussions could be weighed down by politics, Macfarlane’s touch is deft, giving us exactly enough to consider the question while also showing us how this is not just about rivers but about us.
—Valorie Castellanos Clark, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deft
Adjective
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These additional components underscore the importance of music, movement, libations, skillful presentation, and audience participation to masquerade more broadly.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Who lives and who dies depends on a slew of variable factors: Where they are tried, how skillful their attorneys are, the whims of prosecutors, quirks in the law, the dispositions of judges and jurors, and what victims want.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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State government has made the education and training of skilled aerospace workers an important priority.—
Yogi Tharanibalan,
Hartford Courant,
3 June 2025
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The hope, Morrison said, was to encourage employers to bring in skilled workers via the permanent residency pathway, on the theory that immigrants with green cards would, by being on stronger footing, be less likely to undercut wages for Americans than guest workers did.—
Alec MacGillis,
ProPublica,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Colin is a masterful, soulful actor, and also an A+ human.—
Lauren LeFranc,
IndieWire,
3 June 2025
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Senior right-hander Wyatt Rudden was masterful, while the Raiders’ pitching staff — which had ace Hudson Alpert injured and used its two other top arms on Friday to advance — couldn’t hold down the Bruins’ potent lineup.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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Hawkins knows exactly how to play Laura’s cheery psychopathy and cunning cruelties, and Wong, in her first film role, gives Piper a spirited independence.—
Jeannette Catsoulis,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Rigg’s voice is sharp and engrossing, her characters cunning but affable.—
Isle McElroy,
Vulture,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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The floral motifs created a garden of light against the shimmering teal backdrop for a dramatic, yet delicate look.—
Pooja Shah,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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Lorenza Rosé, $23 Year after year, the Lorenza team produces a rosé that's both light and delicate while still being chock-full of flavor and personality.—
Seth Eli Barlow,
Arkansas Online,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Equipped with dexterous whiskers, these pinnipeds use a suite of senses to navigate their surroundings with ease.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 May 2025
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Williams playing somewhere around his All-Star level would certainly help, but fates should largely fall into the dexterous hands of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
21 May 2025
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There won’t be a tipping point, because the other side is too expert at lying.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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The 76 gasoline brand, after all, evokes the patriotism of 1776 — a clever marketing ploy.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
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Charlie Davis Season: 46 Placed: 2nd If Q was the hurricane blowing through Survivor 46, Davis was a source of calm geniality at the center, constantly quoting Taylor Swift songs while obscuring his careful, clever gameplay.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Time,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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