skillful

adjective

skill·​ful ˈskil-fəl How to pronounce skillful (audio)
1
: possessed of or displaying skill : expert
a skillful chef
2
: accomplished with skill
a skillful treatment
skillfully adverb
skillfulness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for skillful

proficient, adept, skilled, skillful, expert mean having great knowledge and experience in a trade or profession.

proficient implies a thorough competence derived from training and practice.

proficient in translating foreign languages

adept implies special aptitude as well as proficiency.

adept at doing long division

skilled stresses mastery of technique.

a skilled surgeon

skillful implies individual dexterity in execution or performance.

skillful drivers

expert implies extraordinary proficiency and often connotes knowledge as well as technical skill.

expert in the evaluation of wines

Examples of skillful in a Sentence

He is skillful at diplomacy. an artist skillful in the use of color the skillful manner in which the doctor and nurses treated the patient These issues require skillful handling.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Several would require the skillful balancing of adverse political interests, including labor unions, real estate companies and pro-tenant groups. Mihir Zaveri, New York Times, 1 June 2025 In short, this is about being emotionally skillful and multifaceted. Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 Trump could also falter because a world of ambitious, colluding autocracies is difficult even for the most skillful superpower to handle. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for skillful

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of skillful was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skillful. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

skillful

adjective
skill·​ful ˈskil-fəl How to pronounce skillful (audio)
1
: having or showing skill
2
: accomplished with skill
a skillful defense
skillfully adverb
skillfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on skillful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!