Dexterous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈdek-st(ə-)rəs/ dex·ter·ous

Meaning & Definition of Dexterous

Dexterous (adjective)

  1. mentally adroit and skillful, clever
  2. done with mental or physical skill, quickness, or grace, done with dexterity, artful
  3. skillful and competent with the hands

Dexterous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. skillful with the hands

    "the dexterous watchmaker was able to repair the antique watch's delicate gears and parts"

    similar: clever, cunning, deft, handy
    related: agile, flexible, graceful, limber, lissome, lithe, lithesome, nimble, spry, coordinated, able, adept, capable, competent, expert, habile, masterful, masterly, proficient, qualified, skilled, skillful, sure-handed, double-jointed, loose-jointed
    opposite: butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, unhandy
    near: awkward, bungling, clumsy, fumbling, gauche, gawky, graceless, klutzy, rough-hewn, stiff, stilted, uncomfortable, uneasy, ungainly, ungraceful, wooden, uncoordinated, incapable, incompetent, inept, inexpert, maladroit

  2. accomplished with trained ability

    "dexterous handling of a potentially embarrassing situation"

    similar: adroit, artful, bravura, deft, delicate, expert, masterful, masterly, practiced, skillful, virtuoso, workmanlike
    related: facile, smooth, artistic, creative, fancy, ingenious, neat, adept, clever, cunning, able, adequate, capable, competent
    opposite: amateur, amateurish, artless, rude, unprofessional, unskillful
    near: awkward, clumsy, crude, klutzy, ineffective, ineffectual, incompetent, inept

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dexterous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dexterous:

clever, cunning, deft, handy, adroit, artful, bravura, delicate, expert, masterful, masterly, practiced, skillful, virtuoso, workmanlike

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dexterous

Words with the opposite meaning of Dexterous:

butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, unhandy, amateur, amateurish, artless, rude, unprofessional, unskillful

Related Words for Dexterous

agile, flexible, graceful, limber, lissome, lithe, lithesome, nimble, spry, coordinated, able, adept, capable, competent, habile, proficient, qualified, skilled, sure-handed, double-jointed, loose-jointed, facile, smooth, artistic, creative, fancy, ingenious, neat, adequate

Near Antonyms of Dexterous

awkward, bungling, clumsy, fumbling, gauche, gawky, graceless, klutzy, rough-hewn, stiff, stilted, uncomfortable, uneasy, ungainly, ungraceful, wooden, uncoordinated, incapable, incompetent, inept, inexpert, maladroit, crude, ineffective, ineffectual

Word Forms of Dexterous

Derived words: dexterously (adverb), dexterousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Dexterous

Latin dextr-, dexter on the right side, skillful

First known use: 1609

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Dexterous

Frequently Asked Questions about Dexterous

What does "Dexterous" mean?

"Dexterous" means mentally adroit and skillful, clever. As an adjective, it is defined as: mentally adroit and skillful, clever. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dexterous"?

Other words for "Dexterous" include clever, cunning, deft, handy, adroit, artful, bravura and delicate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dexterous" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dexterous"?

There are 44 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dexterous". Common alternatives include clever, cunning, deft, handy, adroit, artful, bravura, delicate, expert and masterful.

What is the opposite of "Dexterous"?

Antonyms of "Dexterous" include butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, unhandy, amateur and amateurish. Near antonyms include awkward, bungling, clumsy and fumbling.

How do you use "Dexterous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dexterous" in a sentence: "the dexterous watchmaker was able to repair the antique watch's delicate gears and parts"; "dexterous handling of a potentially embarrassing situation".

Is "Dexterous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dexterous" is an adjective.

Is "Dexterous" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Dexterous" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Dexterous"?

"Dexterous" is pronounced /ˈdek-st(ə-)rəs/ and divided into syllables as dex·ter·ous.