variants
also dextrous
1
as in handy
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 skillful
accomplished with trained ability
dexterous handling of a potentially embarrassing situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The gloves themselves are low-profile and dexterous.
—
Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 11 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 11 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for dexterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dexterous
Adjective
-
The accompanying stakes are also handy to keep it from bunching or blowing away on a windy day.—
Laurie Lyons-Makaimoku,
Travel + Leisure,
29 July 2025
-
Given the scary pot bunkers and sandy scrapes that make links golf so special, the tool came in very handy, and Sarazen set a new Open record of 283 here.—
Larry Olmsted,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
The result is a skillful balance between dewy and glossy, blushy and gleamy.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
18 July 2025
-
But despite those skillful trappings, the story soon feels ponderous.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Many of these apprentices were not skilled tradesmen.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
22 July 2025
-
The same is true of pickleball, where a skilled player with the right paddle can cause problems for an opponent.—
Martin Cizmar,
Wired News,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
Beyond their records, Ali and Usyk share other similarities, such as brilliant footwork, masterful defense and an Einstein-level boxing IQ.—
Anthony Stitt,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Known for his signature visual style and masterful tension-building in crime stories, Kim now turns his lens to the glamorous yet cutthroat world of K-Pop, exploring the fierce desires and ambitions that drive it.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
That includes clever storage and organizers, which are currently up to 70 percent off this month.—
Rylee Johnston,
People.com,
27 July 2025
-
While Astronomer lost their CEO and HR exec amid the Coldplay concert viral scandal, their marketing team has picked up the slack with a clever new ad that enlists Gwyneth Paltrow, the ex-wife of Chris Martin.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
The plaintiffs are also asking Battaglia to strike the testimony of the county’s expert six witnesses.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 July 2025
-
Following the hollowing-out of the nation’s scientific infrastructure through deep funding cuts and the firing of federal scientists, the executive order is an attempt to rewrite the rules of how our expert bureaucracy operates.—
David Michaels,
The Atlantic,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
Honest Abe is forced to scheme, relying on grit and cunning to win the votes to abolish slavery.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
-
Of all the acts, though, Sudanese American vocalist Dua Saleh was the most subdued, swaying between heart-fluttering falsettos and cunning raps.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
27 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
Cite this Entry
“Dexterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dexterous. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share