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| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | shrewd |
| Synonyms: | acute, astute, brainy, cagey, calculating, canny, clever, crafty, cunning, discerning, experienced, farsighted, foxy*, heady, in the know, ingenious, intelligent, judicious, keen, knowing, on the ball, perceptive, sagacious, sensible, sharp, slick*, sly, smart, smooth, streetwise, wise |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | ability |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | natural or acquired power in a |
| Synonyms: | adroitness, bent, capability, cleverness, command, craft, deftness, expertise, expertness, finesse, flair, genius, gift, handiness, ingenuity, knack, know-how, mastery, mind for, particular activity adeptness, proficiency, savvy, skill, skillfulness, strength, talent, the goods, the right stuff, what it takes |
| Notes: | applied to a person, ability and capacity mean about the same thing but are grammatically different: an ability to do something, a capacity for doing something; ability is qualitative while capacity is quantitative |
| Antonyms: | clumsiness, ignorance, inability, inadequacy, inanity, incompetence, stupidity, weakness |
| Main Entry: | able |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | able to perform well; having a proven capacity |
| Synonyms: | accomplished, adroit, agile, artful, au fait, brilliant, capable, clever, deft, dexterous, effective, effectual, efficient, equal to, experienced, expert, facile, gifted, ingenious, intelligent, keen, know backwards and forwards, know one's onions, know the ropes, learned, masterful, masterly, powerful, practiced, prepared, proficient, qualified, responsible, savvy, sharp, skilled, skillful, smart, talented, there, trained, up to it, up to snuff, up to speed, with it |
| Notes: | able is having the necessary power to accomplish something while capable means having the potential to accomplish something |
| Antonyms: | delicate, feeble, inept, stupid, weak |
| Main Entry: | accomplished |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | skilled in activity |
| Synonyms: | able, adept, brainy, consummate, cool*, cultivated, expert, gifted, hep, hip*, masterly, polished, practiced, proficient, savvy, sharp, skillful, talented, wised up, with it |
| Antonyms: | inept, inexpert, unable |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | adept |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | very able |
| Synonyms: | accomplished, ace*, adroit, brainy, capable, clean*, crack*, crackerjack*, deft, dexterous, expert, hot*, hotshot, know stuff, masterful, masterly, no dummy, no slouch, nobody's fool, on the ball, on the beam, practiced, proficient, quick, savvy, sharp, sharp as a tack, skilled, skillful, slick, smooth, there, up to speed, versed, whiz*, wizard |
| Antonyms: | awkward, clumsy, incompetent, inept, unskilled |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | adroit |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | very able or skilled |
| Synonyms: | adept, apt, artful, clean, clever, crack*, crackerjack*, cunning, cute, deft, dexterous, expert, foxy*, good, handy, hot tamale, ingenious, masterful, neat*, nifty*, nimble, on the ball, on the beam, proficient, quick on the trigger, quick on the uptake, quick-witted, savvy, sharp, skillful, slick, smart, up to speed, up*, whiz*, wizard |
| Antonyms: | awkward, clumsy, dense, inept, stupid, unskilled |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | appreciate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | recognize worth |
| Synonyms: | acknowledge, apprehend, be aware of, be cognizant of, be conscious of, catch the drift, comprehend, dig, fathom, grasp, know, perceive, read, realize, recognize, savvy, see daylight, sympathize with, take account of, understand |
| Notes: | the use of 'appreciate' should involve valuing something or understanding it sympathetically, and when there is no value or sympathy, use 'recognize' or 'understand'; appreciate first meant 'set at a price; appraised' |
| Main Entry: | apt |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | quick to learn |
| Synonyms: | able, adept, astute, bright, clever, expert, gifted, ingenious, intelligent, no dummy, nobody's fool, not born yesterday, prompt, quick on the trigger, quick on the uptake, ready, savvy, sharp, skilled, skillful, smart, talented, teachable |
| Notes: | apt is for general probabilities, likely is for specific probabilities; liable and prone indicate a probability arising as a regrettable consequence |
| Antonyms: | incapable, stupid, unskilled |
| Main Entry: | aptitude |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | quickness at learning |
| Synonyms: | ability, capability, capacity, cleverness, competence, faculty, flair, gift, giftedness, intelligence, knack, proficiency, savvy, smarts, stuff*, talent, what it takes |
| Notes: | aptitude and attitude derive from Latin aptitudo 'fitness,' the first through French, the second through a French borrowing of Italian attitudine |
| Antonyms: | incapacity, stupidity |
* = informal/non-formal usage
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
