Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

skilled

American  
[skild] / skɪld /

adjective

  1. having skill; trained or experienced in work that requires skill.

  2. showing, involving, or requiring skill, as certain work.


skilled British  
/ skɪld /

adjective

  1. possessing or demonstrating accomplishment, skill, or special training

  2. (prenominal) involving skill or special training

    a skilled job

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See skillful.

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of skilled

First recorded in 1545–55; skill 1 + -ed 3


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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

See Examples For:

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

But Showalter and the movie’s screenwriter, Nick Antosca, are skilled in the art of misdirection.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

Policymakers continued to see inflationary risks stemming from AI investments, improving pricing power, higher inflation expectations and demand for skilled labor, Danske Bank analyst Jens Peter Sorensen says in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 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

After proving himself somewhat skilled during practice, many of the other competitors had sought him out, but he still opted to keep to himself.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com