: characterized by facility and skill
the photographer's deft use of lighting
the deft fingers of the trumpeter
deftly
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of deft in a Sentence
The photographer is known for her deft use of lighting.
a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over
Recent Examples on the Web
Philadelphia’s star running back made the first down by executing a deft spin move to elude Jacksonville linebacker Devin Lloyd.
—
Kambui Bomani, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Taylor Swift's fans have pieced together videos portraying the pop-music icon's deft handling of stage mishaps.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The band was part of a wave of earnest pop-rock that crossed genres, alternately praised as deft and open-hearted, or denigrated by critics as toothless soft-rock.
—John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 25 July 2024
But an outspoken liberal (Stanley Tucci) has trouble winning votes, and the resulting action involves deft coalition-building and the papal equivalent of October surprises.
—The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deft 
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.
Kambui Bomani, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Taylor Swift's fans have pieced together videos portraying the pop-music icon's deft handling of stage mishaps.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The band was part of a wave of earnest pop-rock that crossed genres, alternately praised as deft and open-hearted, or denigrated by critics as toothless soft-rock.
—John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 25 July 2024
But an outspoken liberal (Stanley Tucci) has trouble winning votes, and the resulting action involves deft coalition-building and the papal equivalent of October surprises.
—The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deft
Dictionary Entries Near deft
Cite this Entry
“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deft. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deft
adjective
: quick and skillful in action
knitting with deft fingers
deftly
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share