skillful

especially British, skil·ful

[skil-fuhl]

adjective

1. having or exercising skill.

   a skillful juggler.

   Synonyms: ingenious, clever, apt, adept, deft, adroit, ready
   Antonyms: amateurish, clumsy, awkward

2. showing or involving skill.

   a skillful display of fancy diving.

3. Obsolete.,  reasonable; rational.

Other Word Forms

• skillfully adverb
• skillfulness noun
• quasi-skillful adjective
• quasi-skillfully adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of skillful¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; skill ¹, -ful

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

The irony is that these tactics were once the preserve of less skillful teams that had few other ways of getting anywhere near the goal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They had found their sweet spot: spiky power pop buffed into a commercial sheen by Roy Thomas Baker, the producer famous for his skillful work on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Able to switch moods and tones with a stylish, skillful ease, Trier brings out the best in all the film’s performers, mixing a knowing, bittersweet humor with deep insights.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Silcott’s ability to support the school financially grew out of skillful real estate investments, which began with a few buildings in Boston that he inherited from his mother.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He is a player with an admirable work ethic, so Liverpool will definitely be adding an honest and very skillful player into their squad.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• accomplished 
• adept 
• adroit 
• competent 
• experienced 
• practical 
• proficient 
• seasoned www.thesaurus.com
• skilled 
• smart 
• trained www.thesaurus.com