Synonyms for competent

21 synonyms
7 antonyms

adjective

Most common

effective capable qualified efficient trained adequate non-incompetent proficient

All synonyms

Adjective

able, capable, efficient, qualified, effective, adequate, proficient, trained, good, non-incompetent, sufficient, suitable, lawful, masterly, equal, fit, adapted, skillful US, skilful UK, commensurate, apt

Antonyms

incompetent, bad, weak

All antonyms of competent →

Definitions

adj. 1
Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
He is a competent skier and an expert snowboarder.

Related words

Word family: competently compete competence competentness competition

Choose the right word

Competent or Qualified?

Qualified refers to acquired abilities; competent to both natural and acquired; a qualified teacher may be no longer competent, by reason of ill health.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

effective Daily exercise is effective in overcoming obesity.
capable He is capable of teaching both English and French.
qualified Guatemala was once qualified as a banana republic.
efficient The Japanese telephone system is highly efficient.
trained This is the first time I've ever trained at night.
adequate The national health service was far from adequate.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
competent		falling
effective		steady
capable		steady
qualified		falling
efficient		steady
trained		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: fit¹, apt¹
4 letters: good¹, able²
5 letters: equal²
6 letters: lawful²
7 letters: capable³, trained¹, adapted³, skilful
8 letters: suitable³, adequate³, skillful², masterly³
9 letters: effective³, qualified³, efficient³
10 letters: sufficient³, proficient³
12 letters: commensurate⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (able² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: compétent
Italiano: competente
Español: competente
Deutsch: kompetent
Català: competent