competent

[ kom-pi-tuhnt ]

adjective

1. having suitable or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience, etc., for some purpose; properly qualified:

   He is perfectly competent to manage the bank branch.

   Synonyms: proficient, capable, fit

2. adequate but not exceptional.
3. Law. (of a witness, a party to a contract, etc.) having legal competence, as by meeting certain minimum requirements of age, soundness of mind, or the like.
4. Geology. (of a bed or stratum) able to undergo folding without flowage or change in thickness.

competent

/ ˈkɒmpɪtənt /

adjective

1. having sufficient skill, knowledge, etc; capable
2. suitable or sufficient for the purpose

   a competent answer

3. law (of a witness) having legal capacity; qualified to testify, etc
4. postpositivefoll byto belonging as a right; appropriate

Derived Forms

• ˈcompetentness, noun
• ˈcompetently, adverb

Other Words From

• com·pe·tent·ly adverb
• non·com·pe·tent adjective
• ul·tra·com·pe·tent adjective
• un·com·pe·tent adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of competent¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin competent- (stem of competēns, present participle of competere “to meet, agree”); compete, -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of competent¹

C14: from Latin competēns, from competere to be competent; see compete

Synonym Study

See able.

Example Sentences

Beyond diagnosing what went wrong, I asked Wright what the federal government could have done differently and if he thinks a competent administration with a serious plan might’ve saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

From Vox

Yes, I think what he is gong for is a sort of I’m-more-competent-and-would-have-gotten-all-this-done angle, as opposed to the who-cares-about-the-pandemic-just-open approach.

From Voice of San Diego

My hope is that we’ll get another big emergency package and, finally, a competent vaccine rollout, and that we’ll be mostly back to normal by the summer.

From Vox

They were fully formed humans before motherhood and competent as mothers, and those with grown children continue to be independent folks accomplishing much.

From Washington Post

A competent travel adviser would never send you into harm’s way.

From Washington Post

What they found was that most people preferred to work with the lovable fool rather than the competent jerk.

From The Daily Beast

After all, unlike the other vaccines currently in the pipeline, this one is alive and replication-competent.

From The Daily Beast

As his later wartime record would show, Jackson was extremely competent in the many skills required of a commanding general.

From The Daily Beast

But he had a personal fortune—he spent $1.5 million of his own money on the race—and a competent, if uninspired, message.

From The Daily Beast

“Either of the MiG types must be honored, especially in the hands of a competent pilot,” the retired pilot said.

From The Daily Beast

Unfortunately, I had studied so little at that time, that I don't feel as if I were competent to judge him.

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes the tracing down may have been done by some advanced pupil or competent assistant.

From Project Gutenberg

Judging from the rapid progress he made in a short time, this teacher must have been thoroughly competent.

From Project Gutenberg

That persons competent to judge of their merit would in after years pronounce them of priceless value.

From Project Gutenberg

The things these fellows produce are all read and checked by competent General Staff Officers.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• adequate
• capable
• decent
• efficient
• proficient
• qualified
• skilled