Vocabulary Spotlight

Adept

Part of Speech: Adjective

Definition: Highly skilled or proficient at something.

“She is adept at managing complex projects efficiently.”

Pronunciation

[uh-DEPT]

Synonyms, Antonyms & Related Words

Synonyms

Skilled
Proficient
Expert
Talented
Capable

Antonyms

Inexperienced
Unskilled
Inept
Incompetent
Clumsy

Related Words

Ability
Competency
Mastery

Word Origin

“Adept” comes from the Latin word “adeptus,” meaning “achieved” or “attained.”

Word Family

Adjective: Adept – Skilled or proficient.

Noun: Adeptness – The quality of being highly skilled.

Noun: Adept – A person who is highly skilled.

Mnemonics

Think “A Depth of Skill” – Adept implies having a deep or thorough skill in something.

Industry-specific Usage

Technology

An adept programmer is one who is highly skilled at coding and troubleshooting.

Healthcare

Surgeons must be adept in their field to handle complex medical procedures.

Business

In business, an adept leader is one who is capable of making strategic decisions.

In Context

Adept describes someone who is proficient or highly skilled, often used to recognize expertise in a particular area.

Vocabulary Challenges

1. Which is a synonym of “Adept”?

Inept
Unskilled
Incompetent
Skilled

‘Skilled’ is correct as it denotes proficiency or expertise.

2. Fill in the blank: He is _______ at solving complex math problems.

inexperienced
inept
adept
clumsy

‘Adept’ is appropriate as it means skilled or proficient.

3. In which context would “adept” be MOST appropriate?

Lacking in ability
Showing high proficiency in a skill
Being new to a task
Demonstrating inexperience

‘Showing high proficiency in a skill’ is correct as adept means being highly skilled.