skillful

1 of 2

adjective

skill·​ful ˈskil-fəl How to pronounce skillful (audio)
Synonyms of skillful
1
: possessed of or displaying skill : expert
a skillful chef
2
: accomplished with skill
a skillful treatment
skillfully
ˈskil-fə-lē How to pronounce skillful (audio)
adverb
skillfulness noun

skillfulness

2 of 2

noun

skill·​ful·​ness
-lnə̇s
plural -es
: the quality or state of being skillful

Synonyms of skillful

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
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

Adjective 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.
Adjective
As Musashi scrambles through a school of Samurai, the game seamlessly bounces between skillful swordplay, rowdy improvisation, and Looney Tunes-style levity. — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 The English Understand Wool is skillful, funny, and exposes, through twists and turns, the quirks and peculiarities of the privileged, of celebrity, and the publishing world. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 Making robots skillful The second stage introduces a latent diffusion model, which gives BeyondMimic its ability to generate and combine movements. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026 The movie is great as an adult, with its double entendres and skillful acting. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for skillful

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Rhymes for skillful

See All Rhymes for skillful

Browse Nearby Words

skill facet
skillful
skillfully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skillful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skillful. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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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
-fə-lē How to pronounce skillful (audio)
adverb
skillfulness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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