are highly adept

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are highly adept" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who is very skilled or proficient in a particular area or task. Example: "The team members are highly adept at problem-solving, which greatly contributes to our success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

But I think that the best of those lecturers are highly adept at reading their audiences.

The New York Times

Humans are highly adept at this task despite the fact that faces share the same basic components and individuals must be discriminated based on subtle differences in features or spatial relationships1,2.

Nature

The soccer referee makes all the calls within the lines, often running at full speed on a field 130 yards by 100 yards, while monitoring the transgressions of 22 players who are highly adept at shirt-pulling, illegal use of hands and feet, and feigned injuries that would do justice to an extra falling off the stagecoach in a bad western movie.

The New York Times - Sports

His point (besides the obvious benefit of not falling in either category) is that painful emotions are part and parcel of life and when we deny, dismiss, numb or try to distract ourselves from feeling them fully – something many are highly adept at doing - we only perpetuate our pain and create unnecessary suffering.

Forbes

Evolutionary psychologists have found that elephants are highly adept in social coordination when pursuing shared goals.

Huffington Post

Although macrophages are highly adept at destroying bacteria, modulation of macrophage cell death by some species of bacteria is emerging as an important pathogenesis mechanism.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

This may ensure that Australian society is highly adept at absorbing cultural difference.

The Guardian - Opinion

Additionally, she is highly adept at conveying messages between medical personnel and considered to be positive role model for her coworkers.

Cornell University

She is highly adept at the fine details of bourgeois living but increasingly alienated from them; she loves her wife but the passion has withered.

The Guardian - Film

Susan Hiller is highly adept at reminding us that life's great wonder and strangeness, its joys and its tragedies, are those that defy total explanation.

Independent

Charles Pasqua, a Corsican who served for many years as interior minister in conservative French governments, was highly adept at this game.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a group or team, use "are highly adept" to emphasize their collective skill and proficiency in a particular area.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "are highly adept" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Consider using simpler alternatives like "are very good at" or "are great at" for everyday situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are highly adept" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a high degree of skill or competence. As indicated by Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

43%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "are highly adept" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a high level of skill or proficiency. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is appropriate for formal and neutral contexts, often appearing in news, scientific, and academic writing. When a more casual tone is preferred, simpler alternatives like "are very skilled" or "are great at" may be more suitable. While it is not a very common phrase, using "are highly adept" correctly enhances the clarity and impact of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are very skilled

Uses "skilled" as a direct replacement for "adept", indicating a high level of ability. Replaces "highly" with "very".

are extremely proficient

Replaces "adept" with "proficient" and "highly" with "extremely", both suggesting a high degree of competence.

are remarkably talented

Substitutes "adept" with "talented" and "highly" with "remarkably", emphasizing innate ability.

possess great expertise

Shifts the phrasing to focus on the possession of "expertise", indicating specialized knowledge and skill.

are exceptionally capable

Replaces "adept" with "capable" and "highly" with "exceptionally", highlighting the ability to perform effectively.

are masters of their craft

Uses a more idiomatic expression, "masters of their craft", to convey a high level of skill and expertise.

are incredibly competent

Swaps "adept" with "competent" and "highly" with "incredibly" suggesting they have the required skills.

are supremely qualified

Replaces "adept" with "qualified" and "highly" with "supremely", suggesting they meet all necessary criteria and have advanced skills.

are exceptionally well-versed

Uses "well-versed" to indicate deep knowledge and skill, preceded by "exceptionally" for emphasis.

are notably accomplished

Replaces "adept" with "accomplished" and "highly" with "notably", emphasizing a history of success and skill.

FAQs

What does "are highly adept" mean?

The phrase "are highly adept" means that someone or a group of people possess a high level of skill, competence, or proficiency in a particular area or task. It indicates they are very capable and skilled.

What can I say instead of "are highly adept"?

You can use alternatives like "are very skilled", "are extremely proficient", or "possess great expertise" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "are adept" or "are highly adept"?

While both "are adept" and "are highly adept" are correct, "are highly adept" intensifies the level of skill or competence being described. The choice depends on how much emphasis you want to place on their proficiency.

How do I use "are highly adept" in a sentence?

You can use "are highly adept" to describe someone's skills, for example, "The engineers "are highly adept" at troubleshooting complex systems", or "The team members "are highly adept" in negotiations".