dexterity

noun

dek-ˈster-ə-tē How to pronounce dexterity (audio)
Definition of dexteritynext
1
as in ability
mental skill or quickness the ambassador showed great dexterity in his handling of the touchy situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in agility
ease and grace in physical activity the juggler needed lots of dexterity in order to keep all five balls in the air at the same time

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 dexterity In addition to more familiar events drawn from human ​sports, robots will ⁠compete in EV charging, restaurant work, emergency incident handling and hand-dexterity contests. — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026 Augmental says MouthPad is best suited for people over 18 who have enough tongue dexterity to operate it. — Jesse Watson , Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026 And yet, another sport may also explain Lombard’s defensive dexterity. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026 All three musicians played virtuosically, and all three wielded their astounding dexterity to drag against the grain of pop appeal. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dexterity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dexterity
  1. ability
  2. agility
  3. prowess
  4. talent
  5. proficiency
  6. finesse
  7. aptitude
  8. competence
Noun
  • Minnesota signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2025, and his ability to play numerous positions keeps him on the roster.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The volume of options can outrun the firm’s ability to commit.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of ability
Noun
  • The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 ranks EI skills like resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership, social influence, motivation, and self-awareness as among the top ten most desirable skills.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Newport Harbor, the three-time defending Sunset League champion, flashed its speed and agility throughout the victory, but especially on its first two touchdowns.
    — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of agility
Noun
  • Hyppolite’s big-play prowess, along with a solid night from running back John Gray, led the way as North Miami Beach easily handled North Miami 27-7 to improve to 2-0 on the season.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Mikael Wood waxed on Parton’s storytelling prowess in her music.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of prowess
Noun
  • The studio has released seven titles that have won 10 Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards, with voice talent including Glenn Close, Jennifer Hudson, Ethan Hawke, John Legend, Lupita Nyong’o, Daisy Ridley and Oprah Winfrey.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Everyone from Sabrina Carpenter to Taylor Swift to Barack Obama has honored Parton, calling out her talent, her kindness, and her sense of giving.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of talent
Noun
  • Those standards can examine technical proficiency, past cyber operations, facility security, personnel vetting and reliability.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Safe experimentation is a critical step toward AI proficiency and understanding how to properly manage it.
    — Suzanne Konstance, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of proficiency
Noun
  • With finer hair, however, the cut itself requires a bit more finesse.
    — Lucy Binder, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Brent Waller’s love shines through, as does the Lego designers’ finesse.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of finesse
Noun
  • This position — especially once assistant head coach Frank Smith arrived — requires immense mental aptitude.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • How could King draw with such aptitude and still struggle to talk?
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of aptitude
Noun
  • Second-year head coach Aaron Glenn is in desperate need of competence at all positions after a 3-14 rookie campaign.
    — NBC Sports, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Because in The Swamp, competence has never been the standard.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of competence

Browse Nearby Words

dewy-eyed
dexterity
dexterous
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Cite this Entry

“Dexterity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dexterity. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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