conversant
Americanadjective
-
familiar by use or study (usually followed bywith ).
conversant with Spanish history.
- Synonyms:
- proficient, well-informed, practiced, skilled, learned, versed
-
Archaic. having regular or frequent conversation; intimately associating; acquainted.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of conversant
1250–1300; Middle English conversa ( u ) nt < Latin conversant- (stem of conversāns ), present participle of conversārī to associate with. See converse 1, -ant
Explanation
If you know a lot about computer programming, then you could describe yourself as conversant with the latest updates in coding languages. This means you have current working knowledge of the topic. The word conversant can be traced back to the Latin word conversari, meaning to “keep company with.” If you’re conversant with something, then you’re familiar with it — as if you have been keeping company with it. The word is often paired with the prepositions with, as in "being conversant with the Detroit area, or in, as in "if you speak French, you’re conversant in French."
Vocabulary lists containing conversant
Walden
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The Federalist Papers, No. 70 by Alexander Hamilton
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The Shining
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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.
"I would prefer to crawl into one of Comey's conversant shells than write a column supporting him," Turley wrote in a column for Fox News.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
He said it becomes increasingly important for users to verify AI output as the models become even more conversant and capable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026
It’s not exactly secret, but it’s abstruse enough that they hope most people, who aren’t fully conversant with the complexities of the program, won’t get the drift.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2025
He is conversant in bodybuilding, gaming, anime, professional wrestling, and every other interest that tends to make up the media diet of boys of a certain age.
From Slate ● Feb. 18, 2025
As an attorney with a fairly large criminal practice, I was conversant with such tales.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
