1
as in qualified
having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance
any competent mechanic should be able to fix that
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justified
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
the arbiter has all the necessary information to make a competent decision on the matter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of competent
At least the Celebrinis are exceptionally competent.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
The Kings have struggled to find competent wing defenders beyond Murray for years and Hunter represents another option to play both forward spots next to Murray in the starting lineup or coming off the bench.
—Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 1 Feb. 2026
Positive and competent leadership.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
The suspect accused of killing his ex-girlfriend on Long Island in November 2025 has been deemed not competent to stand trial, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said Friday.
—Katie Houlis, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competent
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
The Kings have struggled to find competent wing defenders beyond Murray for years and Hunter represents another option to play both forward spots next to Murray in the starting lineup or coming off the bench.
—Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 1 Feb. 2026
Positive and competent leadership.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
The suspect accused of killing his ex-girlfriend on Long Island in November 2025 has been deemed not competent to stand trial, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said Friday.
—Katie Houlis, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competent
Adjective
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Having earned degrees in political science and history at Ohio’s Miami University, Nixon was arguably over-qualified to be a roots-rocking, hell-raising provocateur who somehow was embraced by MTV for several years and went on to become the host of several shows on Sirius XM Radio.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Offering interviews to any qualified applicant for an open position and including images of male servers in promotional materials that depict front-of-house employees.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Sweet Venus enters your thoughtful sign, empowering you with justified confidence in your powers of attraction.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment, but officials there have broadly defended the department’s actions as not only justified but necessary for ensuring the rule of law and holding alleged criminals to account.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In addition, invest in a professional headshot (often available through career development offices) and begin assembling a versatile professional wardrobe suitable for interviews and a variety of workplace settings.—
Micki Meyer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
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This ultimately means that a suitable cathode must still be paired with it to create a complete battery cell.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
To Spoelstra the approach remains that youth will be served when deserved, and even then not at the cost of one more victory, even amid the seemingly inescapable reality of a fourth consecutive trip to the play-in round.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
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The promotion is not only well deserved—programming launched under Walden has received over 1,200 awards, including more than 400 Emmys.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Additionally, Max is capable of shielding car buyers personal identifying information and dealerships proprietary information from being put into a public AI system.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
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His ability to frame his own success as something everyone is capable of achieving and his philanthropic affection for his Fayetteville, North Carolina hometown have always been some of his strongest qualities.—
Benny Sun,
Pitchfork,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For years, the idea of encouraging eligible legal immigrants to the US to become citizens — and full participants in the country’s democracy — enjoyed bipartisan support.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
12 Feb. 2026
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Many legal cannabis ventures enrich hedge funds and politicians, and relatively few benefits accrue to the people who suffered jail time or worse when the drug was criminalized in every state.—
Ezra Marcus,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Hunting groups say this is an overestimation of deer numbers, and that the organization has never had a proper management plan.—
Kris Millgate,
Outdoor Life,
6 Feb. 2026
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Darn Tough Hiker Merino Wool Crew Socks Whether hot or cold, the proper cushioned sock can help regulate temperature in shoes and keep your feet extra comfortable.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Competent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competent. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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