skillful

[ skil-fuhl ]
See synonyms for: skillfulskillfullyskillfulness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. having or exercising skill: a skillful juggler.

  2. showing or involving skill: a skillful display of fancy diving.

  1. Obsolete. reasonable; rational.

Origin of skillful

1
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at skill1, -ful
  • Also especially British, skil·ful .

synonym study For skillful

1. Skillful, skilled, expert refer to readiness and adroitness in an occupation, craft, or art. Skillful suggests especially adroitness and dexterity: a skillful watchmaker. Skilled implies having had long experience and thus having acquired a high degree of proficiency: not an amateur but a skilled worker. Expert means having the highest degree of proficiency; it may mean much the same as skillful or skilled, or both: expert workmanship. See also dexterous.

Other words for skillful

Opposites for skillful

Other words from skillful

  • skill·ful·ly, adverb
  • skill·ful·ness, noun
  • quasi-skillful, adjective
  • qua·si-skill·ful·ly, adverb

Words Nearby skillful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use skillful in a sentence