SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
deft
adjective
Quick and skillful in action.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Quickly skillful
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topDexterous and sure-handed often concern physical skill; deft also describes a skillful verbal response.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See deft in use
With a deft movement, she caught the falling glass.
A deft adjustment by one student reopened a narrow gate quickly without disturbing the nearby floating markers.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license