as in skilled
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor
she is quite proficient at computer repair a proficient rendition of a difficult piano piece
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in adept
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
an urgent call by the state department for proficients in Arabic
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 proficient
Carson Swick, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2025
In 2024, only 9% of Hispanic students in Denver schools were proficient in eighth grade math.
—Yesenia Robles, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2025
Students who score basic are able to demonstrate some rudimentary skills, but aren’t advanced enough to be considered proficient.
—Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2025
And in eighth grade, a mere 31 percent were deemed proficient.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proficient
Adjective
According to the data, 34% of students statewide were proficient in fourth grade reading, 33% in eighth grade reading, 37% in fourth grade math, and 25% in eighth grade math.
—Carson Swick, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2025
In 2024, only 9% of Hispanic students in Denver schools were proficient in eighth grade math.
—Yesenia Robles, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2025
Students who score basic are able to demonstrate some rudimentary skills, but aren’t advanced enough to be considered proficient.
—Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2025
And in eighth grade, a mere 31 percent were deemed proficient.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proficient
Adjective
-
For highly skilled job seekers, the choice is obvious.—
Sarah Elk,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Truly skilled, effective coaches don’t need to call their players names and berate them for messing up and know that doing so makes players afraid to take risks and be creative, critical parts of being a great soccer player.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.—
Holland Cotter,
New York Times,
26 Dec. 2024
-
Naomi Goggin Switch to island time—and expect transportation snafus Even with two planners, and a bride adept at project management, there was one logistical hurdle that was tough to cross: local transportation.—
Kaitlin Menza,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
His non-fiction book The Onion Field, published in 1973, would stand as, arguably, his literary masterpiece, a skillful telling of the true tale of a 1963 kidnapping of two LAPD officers and the brutal murder of one of them.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Hackman tamped down all of his gritty charm to embody a squirrely surveillance expert, again showcasing a skillful adaptability early in his career.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Travelers beware: From vacation scams to insurance to personal safety, a few key considerations can make or break a big trip, according to industry experts.—
Gretchen Eichenberg,
Fox News,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Since outbreaks of this magnitude occur infrequently, most currently practicing US physicians have never seen a case of measles, according to experts.—
Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Wednesday's report also said Iran has not reconsidered its September 2023 decision to ban some of the agency's most experienced inspectors from monitoring its nuclear program.—
STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
27 Feb. 2025
-
That way, the union says, more experienced officers would stay on the force, reducing turnover and vacancies.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Every master craftsman had their own tools – often specialized and always prized possessions handed down from generation to generation.—
John Sviokla,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Raq is a master manipulator who claims to value loyalty above all else, especially from her henchmen brothers Marvin (London Brown) and Lou (Malcolm Mays) and her only son, yet constantly destabilizes the three of them with selfish mind games and power plays that genuinely harm them.—
Robyn Bahr,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The Department Of Education Is Already Being Dismantled, Impacting Student Loan Operations Most legal scholars agree that Trump cannot simply eliminate the Department of Education through executive action.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Legal scholars question what will happen to the Fed if the Supreme Court says independent agencies are unconstitutional.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Starr is also accompanied by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Brenda Lee (whose career predates the Beatles) and contemporary bluegrass virtuoso Tuttle.—
Ilana Kaplan,
People.com,
5 Mar. 2025
-
They are joined by Hawaiian slack key guitar virtuoso Stephen Inglis.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proficient. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share