skilled

USAGE SUMMARY

"skilled" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an adjective that means having great aptitude or expertise in a particular activity or field. Example sentence: After years of practice, the pianist had become highly skilled in playing classical music.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Industrial nations can at best give a developing country a shallow surface insight into their know-how, and even then only in the context of foreign investment deals in which developed countries that host foreign direct investment inflows skilfully negotiate and secure such agreements, and have skilled workforces to absorb and expand on such prowess.

The Guardian

Lyons notes that globalisation has helped reduce inequality between countries, but is "adding to inequality within countries, as highly skilled workers benefit from new markets, while low- and medium-skilled workers in the west compete with cheaper workers in emerging countries, or with immigrants at home".

The Guardian - Business

London is, as Vince Cable put it, a "dark star" sucking in skilled workers from the rest of the country and we just have to live with that.

The Guardian - Opinion

Implementing some impressively artistic ideas selected from a "hackathon" that took place earlier this year, the Urban Vision is now crowd-sourcing a skilled group of Mumbaikars to shape these disused sites, bringing together architects, landscapers, artists and "city enthusiasts" for an inclusive community-led project to start on Monday 24 November.

The Guardian

Related: Women in Labour: Miliband promises midwife for every mother giving birth In a report – The Fragile Frontline – published on Sunday, the college calls on the next government to increase resources for community health care, so that psychiatric and physical care can be safely provided outside of hospitals by a skilled workforce.

The Guardian

Sometimes they can result in three of the same letter butting up against each other (Schifffahrt, journey on a ship, which looks so wrong but isn't, and seeerfahren, skilled at navigating, which is what you'll need to be on a Schifffahrt, or else you might bump into a Seeelephant or, if you're very unlucky a Schneeeule).

The Guardian

The educational system was criticised for failing to produce skilled workers and for fomenting radicalism.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

However, its skills base remains low, with one of the slowest increases in high-skilled workers, and in 2014 Coventry had the third-highest rate of residents with no qualifications.

The Guardian

The Ukip leader said his party is more representative than the others and immigrants from outside the EU such as engineers from New Zealand face discrimination compared with low-skilled EU immigrants.

The Guardian

Labour only had a clear lead over the Conservatives among 18- to 34-year-olds, voters in social class DE (the "semi-skilled and unskilled manual occupations, unemployed and lowest grade occupations"), among private and social renters, and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) voters.

The Guardian

No one denies we need to import highly-skilled workers from wherever we can find them.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's abilities, use "skilled" to highlight proficiency gained through practice and experience.

Common error

While "skillful" is similar to "skilled", it is less commonly used in contemporary English. "Skilled" is generally preferred in most contexts.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "skilled" primarily functions as an attributive adjective, modifying nouns to indicate proficiency or expertise. As noted by Ludwig AI, this is a common descriptor across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "skilled" is a commonly used adjective indicating proficiency and expertise. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage. It is observed that "skilled" is used in various contexts. While synonyms like "proficient" and "expert" exist, "skilled" offers a versatile and widely accepted option for describing competence. When choosing between "skilled" and "skillful", "skilled" is often the preferred choice in contemporary English. Overall, "skilled" is a reliable term to describe someone's abilities gained through practice and experience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

proficient

Emphasizes competence and expertise in a specific area.

accomplished

Highlights a high level of achievement and mastery.

expert

Focuses on specialized knowledge and skill in a particular field.

adept

Suggests natural ability and quickness in performing tasks.

competent

Indicates a satisfactory level of skill and ability.

qualified

Implies meeting the necessary standards or requirements.

talented

Emphasizes natural aptitude and inherent ability.

experienced

Highlights knowledge and skill gained through practice and exposure.

trained

Focuses on skills acquired through formal instruction or practice.

capable

Indicates the ability to perform a task effectively.

FAQs

How can I use "skilled" in a sentence?

You can use "skilled" to describe someone who has expertise in a particular area. For example, "She is a "skilled surgeon"" or "The company needs "skilled workers"".

What are some synonyms for "skilled"?

Some synonyms for "skilled" include "proficient", "expert", "accomplished", and "adept".

Is it correct to say "highly skilled"?

Yes, "highly skilled" is a common and correct usage. It emphasizes a superior level of expertise. The data analyzed by Ludwig confirms this pattern, showing it in many real-world examples.

What is the difference between "skilled" and "skillful"?

Both "skilled" and "skillful" mean having or showing skill, but "skilled" is more commonly used in modern English. You're more likely to encounter "skilled" in contemporary writing.