variants
also dextrous
1
as in skilled
skillful with the hands
the dexterous watchmaker was able to repair the antique watch's delicate gears and parts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in virtuoso
accomplished with trained ability
dexterous handling of a potentially embarrassing situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dexterous
Evolution is part of the answer to why chimpanzees have such dexterous toes while ours seem much more clumsy.
—
Steven Lautzenheiser, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025
There’s no real way to prevent the attacks, since the animals have dexterous hands and can remove most protective measures like nets or small fences.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
But if his gestures were free-floating, his linguistic prowess remained dense and dexterous.
—Sarah Moroz, Pitchfork, 12 Nov. 2025
There are swift, serpentine vines dexterous enough to snatch Dek’s supplies; combustible little slugs that detonate like grenades when triggered; and exotic flowers that swell up and squirt paralyzing darts when something approaches.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Steven Lautzenheiser, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025
There’s no real way to prevent the attacks, since the animals have dexterous hands and can remove most protective measures like nets or small fences.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
But if his gestures were free-floating, his linguistic prowess remained dense and dexterous.
—Sarah Moroz, Pitchfork, 12 Nov. 2025
There are swift, serpentine vines dexterous enough to snatch Dek’s supplies; combustible little slugs that detonate like grenades when triggered; and exotic flowers that swell up and squirt paralyzing darts when something approaches.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dexterous
Adjective
-
The pyramids, the temples, the stunning gold jewelry found in royal tombs — all of these marvels depended on practical, everyday tools wielded by skilled hands.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
-
There’s a shortage of skilled workers who have both the manual skills and the organizational skills needed for the sector, and there’s also competition among companies for warehouse personnel based on pay, benefits, lifestyle and more.—
Laya Neelakandan,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
McIntosh, a brilliant composer who has a sideline as a virtuoso early-music violinist, revelled in the microtonal shadings that Feldman built into his notation.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Six points clear of Manchester City and Villa, Arsenal can boast form and — for the first time in a while — fitness, with Declan Rice marking his return to the lineup with a virtuoso two-goal display against Bournemouth.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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During her tenure at UTA, her skillful agenting has shaped and built the careers of so many iconic talents.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
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She is remembered as a gifted painter and skillful in pastels, in addition to being an avid supporter of philanthropic causes and frequent golfer, finding both love and frustration in the sport, her family says.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Bring in Other Scents Scent can be introduced in a variety of ways, from candles and diffusers to delicate room sprays.—
Kate Donovan,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Young boys cleaned test tubes, brawny machinists built gauges and mills, and scales delicate enough to weigh an inch of a spider's web.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Goldsworthy has made cunning edits of the landscape throughout Penpont.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Perhaps most perceptively captivating is the sweetly cunning way Marczak inserts himself into the film.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Girolmo knows exactly what the show needs, and there is a musically adroit and highly personable cast in the not-entirely-Irish persons of Emily Goldberg, the singer-musician Michael Mahler, the fine tenor Luke Nowakowski and Leah Morrow.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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As Powell — one of Capitol Hill’s most adroit navigators — made his rounds, Republicans on both sides of the Capitol panned the investigation.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His own voice is nasal and inflected, a deft instrument that can carve a slice of experiences ranging from comic to tragic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Gorman, a Wall Street veteran with a deft touch for CEO transitions, was named Disney’s chairman in 2025, after having led its succession planning committee since 2024 and setting the stage for the official transition this week.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
An adjacent gallery also displayed drawings, prints, letters, illustrated books, and photographs by Rodin to showcase the evolution of his artistic process.—
Katie James Watkinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
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The company is run by professional management handling day-to-day operations, while Lee focuses on his artistic output.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dexterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dexterous. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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