deftness

American  

[deft-nis] / ˈdɛft nɪs /

noun

1. cleverness or skill in using either the body or mind; dexterity or nimbleness.

   He was a highly skilled artisan who used his tools with the deftness and certainty of genius.

---

Etymology

Origin of deftness

deft ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deftness

Throughout his tenure, Greenspan displayed the deftness, nimbleness, and flexibility that earned him the moniker “Maestro.”

From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026

Lowry’s juggling of staff loyalty, curatorial independence and board direction required a deftness of touch and grace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026

Working on the variety of her game - coming forward to the net and showing more deftness - has been a key focus for Sabalenka.

From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026

Livingstone soon figured out that with a bit of manual deftness and a deep feel for his records, he could use that “scratching” sound as percussion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2023

I was with her and marveled at my sister's deftness and complete lack of fear.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• nimbleness

---