Synonyms for deft

Most common

adroit · dexterous · masterly · clever

All synonyms

Adjective

Antonyms

ham-fisted, incompetent, ungainly

All antonyms of deft →

Definitions

1. adj. 1

   Quick and neat in action; skillful.

   He assembled it in one fluid, deft motion.

Example sentences

• clever The dog was so clever that he seemed almost human.
• masterly The picture is done in a masterly style.
• adroit Kaya was rather adroit at managing conflicts between her employees.
• dexterous The robotic hands are designed to be dexterous, soft and delicate like people.

Popularity over time

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

By length

3 letters

apt¹

4 letters

mean¹, neat¹

5 letters

ready², quick¹, handy², adept²

6 letters

expert², clever², nimble², adroit²

7 letters

skilful

8 letters

skillful², masterly³, dextrous²

9 letters

ingenious³, dexterous

10 letters

proficient³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (ready² = 2 syllables).