deft

adjective

ˈdeft

: characterized by facility and skill

the photographer's deft use of lighting

the deft fingers of the trumpeter

deftly adverb

deftness

ˈdef(t)-nəs How to pronounce deft (audio)

noun

Example Sentences

The photographer is known for her deft use of lighting. a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over

Recent Examples on the Web Dunham is deft in her characteristic ability to shape an easy yet complex orbit for these three characters.

Sarah-tai Black, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2022 At a late June meeting of an FDA advisory committee, independent vaccine experts overwhelmingly agreed with the need to update the coronavirus vaccines because the virus is now more deft at dodging their protection.

Noah Weiland, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2022 Kelly points out that an earlier insult for a mentally ill person, fruitcake, contains nuts—showing how deft early-20th-century slang speakers were at layering cruelty.

Joseph Lamour, Bon Appétit, 22 June 2022 Pak’s dramatic conception is deft and daring, as seen in dream sequences realized with a light touch and an uninhibited directness.

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 June 2022 Few, if any, in the NBA are as deft in switches or one-on-one challenges.

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2022 The escalation from ballad to heart-pumper is deft, with a lone synth note the perfect segue from teasing to demanding.

Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022 The opening theme, famous for its menacing offbeats, which Valenzuela chose to emphasize rather than soften, was deft and precise.

Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2022 Handling in corners is deft and predictable, and the brakes are excellent.

Brendan Mcaleer, Car and Driver, 3 Apr. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

perhaps continuing Middle English daffte, daft, defte "well-mannered, gentle, dull, foolish" — more at daft

Note: Rather than being derived directly from Middle English, Modern English deft may go back to an unattested Old English *gedefte (with umlaut), with a meaning "fit, ready" developing to "apt, skilfull"; the sense shift is otherwise difficult to account for, though the lack of any certain attestation of deft in the sense "skillful" before the later 16th century makes this scenario hypothetical.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

deft

adjective

as in virtuoso

accomplished with trained ability a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

virtuoso
skillful
masterful
adroit
artful
dexterous
delicate
masterly
expert
smooth
artistic
bravura
workmanlike
dextrous
practiced
adept
clever
ingenious
creative
cunning
facile
practised
neat
capable
competent
adequate
fancy
able

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

artless
clumsy
crude
amateur
amateurish
awkward
unprofessional
rude
ineffective
unskillful
ineffectual
inept
incompetent
klutzy

as in skillful

skillful with the hands the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band

Synonyms & Similar Words

skillful
skilled
dexterous
cunning
clever
dextrous
adept
graceful
capable
proficient
handy
nimble
masterful
competent
spry
agile
masterly
limber
expert
able
lithe
coordinated
flexible
lissome
lithesome
sure-handed
qualified
lissom
habile
loose-jointed
double-jointed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

clumsy
unhandy
wooden
handless
ham-fisted
awkward
uneasy
ungainly
stiff
stilted
ham-handed
fumbling
ungraceful
heavy-handed
gawky
graceless
uncomfortable
klutzy
gauche
incapable
butterfingered
inept
uncoordinated
inexpert
incompetent
bungling
rough-hewn
maladroit

Synonym Chooser

The words adroit and dexterous are common synonyms of deft. While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling.

a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

The words adroit and deft are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness.

the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause

In some situations, the words dexterous and deft are roughly equivalent. However, dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation.

unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

单词	deft
释义	deft adjective ˈdeft : characterized by facility and skill the photographer's deft use of lighting the deft fingers of the trumpeter deftly adverb deftness ˈdef(t)-nəs noun Synonyms adroit artful bravura delicate dexterous dextrous expert masterful masterly practiced practised skillful virtuoso workmanlike See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences The photographer is known for her deft use of lighting. a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over Recent Examples on the Web Dunham is deft in her characteristic ability to shape an easy yet complex orbit for these three characters. Sarah-tai Black, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2022 At a late June meeting of an FDA advisory committee, independent vaccine experts overwhelmingly agreed with the need to update the coronavirus vaccines because the virus is now more deft at dodging their protection. Noah Weiland, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2022 Kelly points out that an earlier insult for a mentally ill person, fruitcake, contains nuts—showing how deft early-20th-century slang speakers were at layering cruelty. Joseph Lamour, Bon Appétit, 22 June 2022 Pak’s dramatic conception is deft and daring, as seen in dream sequences realized with a light touch and an uninhibited directness. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 June 2022 Few, if any, in the NBA are as deft in switches or one-on-one challenges. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2022 The escalation from ballad to heart-pumper is deft, with a lone synth note the perfect segue from teasing to demanding. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022 The opening theme, famous for its menacing offbeats, which Valenzuela chose to emphasize rather than soften, was deft and precise. Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2022 Handling in corners is deft and predictable, and the brakes are excellent. Brendan Mcaleer, Car and Driver, 3 Apr. 2022 See More Word History Etymology perhaps continuing Middle English daffte, daft, defte "well-mannered, gentle, dull, foolish" — more at daft Note: Rather than being derived directly from Middle English, Modern English deft may go back to an unattested Old English gedefte (with umlaut), with a meaning "fit, ready" developing to "apt, skilfull"; the sense shift is otherwise difficult to account for, though the lack of any certain attestation of deft* in the sense "skillful" before the later 16th century makes this scenario hypothetical. First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition deft adjective ˈdeft defter; deftest : quick and skillful in action He cut hair with deft fingers. deft adjective 1 as in virtuoso accomplished with trained ability a luthier whose deft craftsmanship is prized by violinists the world over Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance virtuoso skillful masterful adroit artful dexterous delicate masterly expert smooth artistic bravura workmanlike dextrous practiced adept clever ingenious creative cunning facile practised neat capable competent adequate fancy able Antonyms & Near Antonyms artless clumsy crude amateur amateurish awkward unprofessional rude ineffective unskillful ineffectual inept incompetent klutzy See More 2 as in skillful skillful with the hands the deft jeweler quickly attached the diamond to its mount on the gold band Synonyms & Similar Words skillful skilled dexterous cunning clever dextrous adept graceful capable proficient handy nimble masterful competent spry agile masterly limber expert able lithe coordinated flexible lissome lithesome sure-handed qualified lissom habile loose-jointed double-jointed Antonyms & Near Antonyms clumsy unhandy wooden handless ham-fisted awkward uneasy ungainly stiff stilted ham-handed fumbling ungraceful heavy-handed gawky graceless uncomfortable klutzy gauche incapable butterfingered inept uncoordinated inexpert incompetent bungling rough-hewn maladroit See More Synonym Chooser The words adroit and dexterous are common synonyms of deft. While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling. a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel The words adroit and deft are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness. the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause In some situations, the words dexterous and deft are roughly equivalent. However, dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation. unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss
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deft

adjective

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser