skilled
Americanadjective
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having skill; trained or experienced in work that requires skill.
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showing, involving, or requiring skill, as certain work.
adjective
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possessing or demonstrating accomplishment, skill, or special training
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(prenominal) involving skill or special training
a skilled job
Synonym Usage
See skillful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skilled
Explanation
Anyone skilled has special abilities. A skilled mechanic from the future might build a flying car. Then a skilled rapper can write a cool song about it. A skill is a well-earned talent, like being able to ride a bike, write a script, or spin a basketball on your finger. If you have skills, you're skilled! Congratulations. Being skilled in something usually requires practice. A skilled politician wins elections. A skilled hitter in baseball has a high batting average. A highly skilled job is one that requires special training. The opposite of skilled is unskilled, which would apply to someone without a particular talent.
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.
If Holmes was indeed playing a character she made up, as many people speculated, she was a skilled method actor.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Immigration expert Toshihiro Menju told AFP that Japan is facing a labour shortage on all levels, from highly skilled professionals to service workers.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
We already have trillions of dollars chasing limited supplies of power, chips, equipment and skilled workers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
It is also suspending Microsoft, Adobe and six other tech companies from how they sponsor employees who are in the country under a highly skilled worker visa program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Working as a kind of headhunter, John became the middleman, finding the right skilled, trustworthy crews to do the jobs.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
