1
as in virtuoso
accomplished with trained ability
a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 deft
Briskets, though, require something of a deft touch.
—
Chris Morris, Fortune, 3 July 2025
Elevating his game, thus, required a deft change in creative strategy.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
In language as deft and muscular as Rosa’s team, Drexler captures the scent of the blood and the resin, every wisecrack and sob story, every flake of talc and gob of spit, every pimple and blackhead on the lady wrestlers’ thighs.
—Lauren Elkin, New York Times, 20 May 2025
The deft tonal shifts, nuanced storytelling, and unvarnished performances announce the arrival of a riveting actor and filmmaker.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Chris Morris, Fortune, 3 July 2025
Elevating his game, thus, required a deft change in creative strategy.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
In language as deft and muscular as Rosa’s team, Drexler captures the scent of the blood and the resin, every wisecrack and sob story, every flake of talc and gob of spit, every pimple and blackhead on the lady wrestlers’ thighs.
—Lauren Elkin, New York Times, 20 May 2025
The deft tonal shifts, nuanced storytelling, and unvarnished performances announce the arrival of a riveting actor and filmmaker.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deft
Adjective
-
But despite those skillful trappings, the story soon feels ponderous.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
11 July 2025
-
And there was also skillful attention to the right marketing and distribution details.—
Andrew Tobias,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Despite being made by skilled artisans on the Sicilian coast and designed in Sydney, the U.S. market is already one of its main drivers, its founder and interior designer Isabella Wilde said.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
9 July 2025
-
While advanced data analytics can flag some of these anomalies, a skilled negotiator with full market visibility can go deeper.—
Eric Steele,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Don’t ever doubt theater’s ability to spin a masterful tale out of unusual material.—
David Lyman,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
-
The film shows a masterful command of its material, creating a fearless tone that is entirely its own.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Residence starred Uzo Aduba as quirky detective Cordelia Cupp, who uses her cunning intellect and obsessive bird-watching abilities to crack otherwise unsolvable cases.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
2 July 2025
-
As for steps that could be taken in the nineteenth century, Lyell managed to invent a cunning way to determine the relative age of geological strata.—
Lewis Hyde,
Harpers Magazine,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Tasters enjoyed Canada Dry’s balance of flavors, noting that its delicate citrus played well with a sharp bitter note on the back of their tongues.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 July 2025
-
For instance, delicate fabrics like wool, silk, or linen will likely have different washing requirements than white cotton garments.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
By creating a fuller picture which centers Medusa in her own story, Hynes creates a more dexterous Medusa, one imbued with more agency and less tragedy.—
Irenosen Okojie
July 11,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
-
King has a blogger’s punch and an essayist’s analysis—her dexterous writing is intelligent, observant, and very, very funny.—
Literary Hub
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Jesse Nelson, store manager at Family Tree Nursery in Shawnee, shared some expert advice for local gardeners on how to keep your annuals healthy when things get hot.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
9 July 2025
-
However, such expert predictions should be taken with a grain of salt, as researchers have consistently been surprised by the rapid pace of AI capability advancement.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
The bar is a buzzy and boozy affair from 5 to 6 p.m. daily, where guests and locals gather in a ritualistic ceremony to visit and try some of the clever cocktails (like the Tropical Storm and Drunken Pimento) for which Ooshan has become known.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the firm’s head (Beau Bridges), is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deft. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share