SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
proficient
adjective
Competent and skilled in a particular activity.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Skilled at an activity
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topProficient indicates solid competence. Expert can imply a higher level of mastery, and capable is broader than demonstrated skill.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See proficient in use
After a year of practice, she became proficient at reading musical notation.
At the printmaking club's annual review, Anika arrived with a prodigious stack of drawings that nearly covered the long worktable. She was already proficient at preparing clean printing plates and could explain the routine steps to a newcomer.
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