deft
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
See dexterous.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deft
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; variant of daft
Explanation
Deft means "showing cleverness and skill in handling things." What you want to see in football or basketball is some deft handling of the ball. Some people are physically deft, like accomplished athletes and ballet dancers. Their movements are fast, graceful, and deliberate. Others might be mentally or intellectually deft. You could describe a beautifully written essay as deft, or talk about a politician's deft work on an anti-bullying bill. The source of deft is the Old English gedæfte, "mild or gentle," which became deft in Middle English along with its meaning of "apt, skillful, or adept."
Vocabulary lists containing deft
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List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Within those decades, there wasn’t just deft marketing campaigns and organic interest growth that raised American pistachio’s profile — there was punitive foreign policy on the world’s then-top pistachio producer.
From Salon • May 6, 2026
His gift for the president of an "HMS Trump" ship's bell was a masterstroke of deft diplomacy.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
In a few deft strokes, Ms. Touzani, who also wrote the script with Nabil Ayouch, makes it painfully obvious that Clara wouldn’t be making such a decision if she didn’t have to.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
Both helped create a try with a deft chip over Ireland's rush defence.
From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026
In a deft maneuver Cora tugged off a crispy ear, Molly’s favorite, and presented it to the girl.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
