variants also dextrous

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dexterous different from other adjectives like it?

The words adroit and deft are common synonyms of dexterous. While all three words mean "ready and skilled in physical movement," dexterous implies expertness with consequent facility and quickness in manipulation.

unrolled the sleeping bag with a dexterous toss

In what contexts can adroit take the place of dexterous?

The words adroit and dexterous can be used in similar contexts, but adroit implies dexterity but usually also stresses resourcefulness or artfulness or inventiveness.

the magician's adroit response to the failure of her prop won applause

Where would deft be a reasonable alternative to dexterous?

While in some cases nearly identical to dexterous, deft emphasizes lightness, neatness, and sureness of touch or handling.

a surgeon's deft manipulation of the scalpel

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dexterous Seals are known to use their highly sensitive and dexterous whiskers to navigate and hunt, but the role of visual perception is less studied. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025 Equipped with dexterous whiskers, these pinnipeds use a suite of senses to navigate their surroundings with ease. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025 Williams playing somewhere around his All-Star level would certainly help, but fates should largely fall into the dexterous hands of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 18 May 2025 Macklem speaks perhaps 80 percent of the words in the play, spinning long, disarming, verbally dexterous monologues. Jesse Green, New York Times, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dexterous
Adjective
  • Google Photos has always been a handy way to store and organize your pictures, but its latest feature, Ask Photos, is taking things to a whole new level.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2025
  • Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
    Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • But despite those skillful trappings, the story soon feels ponderous.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 July 2025
  • And there was also skillful attention to the right marketing and distribution details.
    Andrew Tobias, Vulture, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • While advanced data analytics can flag some of these anomalies, a skilled negotiator with full market visibility can go deeper.
    Eric Steele, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • Despite being made by skilled artisans on the Sicilian coast and designed in Sydney, the U.S. market is already one of its main drivers, its founder and interior designer Isabella Wilde said.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • The film shows a masterful command of its material, creating a fearless tone that is entirely its own.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 July 2025
  • Don’t ever doubt theater’s ability to spin a masterful tale out of unusual material.
    David Lyman, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • Light, clever, and just leftfield enough to feel like a proper find.
    Lela London, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Dubno’s novel sounds equally thoughtful and nasty, clever and juicy and full of great drama.
    Literary Hub July 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • Jesse Nelson, store manager at Family Tree Nursery in Shawnee, shared some expert advice for local gardeners on how to keep your annuals healthy when things get hot.
    Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2025
  • However, such expert predictions should be taken with a grain of salt, as researchers have consistently been surprised by the rapid pace of AI capability advancement.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • The Residence starred Uzo Aduba as quirky detective Cordelia Cupp, who uses her cunning intellect and obsessive bird-watching abilities to crack otherwise unsolvable cases.
    Andy Swift, TVLine, 2 July 2025
  • As for steps that could be taken in the nineteenth century, Lyell managed to invent a cunning way to determine the relative age of geological strata.
    Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Tasters enjoyed Canada Dry’s balance of flavors, noting that its delicate citrus played well with a sharp bitter note on the back of their tongues.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 July 2025
  • For instance, delicate fabrics like wool, silk, or linen will likely have different washing requirements than white cotton garments.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 12 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dexterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dexterous. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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