Adept
adj.capable, thoughtfulprofessional
What it means
Very skillful at carrying out a particular kind of work.
Reach for it when praising practiced ease in a named activity
Inez is adept at turning scattered comments into a clear decision.
Choose between these
8- everyday
practiced
repetition and experience explain the smooth performance
not when A practiced routine may be familiar without being especially skillful.
- everyday
a straightforward and widely understood compliment is best
not when Skilled lacks the suggestion of unusual ease carried by adept.
- professional
deep specialist authority is established
not when Adept performance does not automatically make someone an authority who advises others.
- professional
measurable command of a tool or technique is intended
not when It is cooler and more technical than praise for graceful handling.
- formal
a substantial record of developed work matters alongside skill
not when Early but striking facility can be adept before it is accomplished.
- formal
commanding execution in one performance earns strong praise
not when Use adept for consistently high ability without claiming mastery.
- literary
clever skill in handling a delicate problem is the point
not when The formality can distract in a plain resume line.
- literary
quick, neat execution or tact deserves emphasis
not when For broad knowledge rather than a light touch, adept fits better.
Said against
3- inept
- unskilled
- clumsy
It naturally appears in
3- adept at solving
Ravi is adept at solving disputes before positions harden.
- socially adept
The socially adept facilitator noticed who had not yet spoken.
- technically adept
A technically adept editor repaired the damaged audio without flattening it.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adjective sense 1: well skilled or completely versed in a subject opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.