How to Use skillful in a Sentence

skillful

adjective
  • He is skillful at diplomacy.
  • These issues require skillful handling.
  • Roiphe is a skillful enough prose stylist to hide this gaping void.
    — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, 16 Feb. 2018
  • Her hair looks so soft and silky, thanks to Deryck's skillful hands.
    — Gabi Thorne, Allure, 7 Dec. 2020
  • Franz is a very skillful guy that can put the ball on the floor and shoot with good length.
    — Orion Sang, Detroit Free Press, 10 Jan. 2020
  • That was so skillful and subtle.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The more success rolled, the more damage done, the more skillful the hack and so on.
    — Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
  • People performed things in what felt like a prepared and skillful way.
    — Ed Symkus, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2020
  • Also new was the house wardrobe team, on hand for skillful regalia repairs.
    — Claudia Bauer, SFChronicle.com, 12 July 2018
  • One of the best aspects of the film is the skillful way Nolan keeps upping the stakes.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 7 Sep. 2020
  • Baron was known for his skillful driving on the racetrack and his love of cruising steep canyon roads.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • But shrewd, skillful front offices like the Dodgers’ still would prevail.
    — Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Actors can be very skillful in saying any line in a believable way.
    — Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 May 2022
  • In the skillful hands of Sandy Chilewich, place mats take on a new dimension.
    — Elle Decor Staff, ELLE Decor, 1 Dec. 2005
  • The best player in baseball at his physical and skillful best is a sight to behold.
    — Tom Verducci, SI.com, 12 July 2018
  • Though, of course, none of these skillful moves should be a huge surprise coming from the lifelong dancer/performer.
    — Melissa Minton, SELF, 19 Sep. 2017
  • Azmoun is skillful in the air and on the ground, flashing surprising quickness and a keen eye for goal.
    — Juan Pimiento, chicagotribune.com, 13 June 2018
  • The ability to win puck battles in dirty areas and make skillful plays in tight spaces is still there.
    — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2025
  • And the skillful editing by the two co-directors keeps the film driving forward.
    — Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2018
  • There’s comfort to be found too, in the skillful elegance with which the author conveys her ideas.
    — Heller McAlpin, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2021
  • His lyrics were layered, skillful and unorthodox.
    — Jabari M. Evans, The Conversation, 24 June 2026
  • The skillful craftsmanship of the artists is amazing, and the story is also great.
    — Billboard Japan, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
  • With the best defense in the league and now a skillful quarterback to back them up, the 49ers will be back on top.
    — Daniel Kohn, Spin, 6 Sep. 2023
  • Of course putting people in space has been amazing, and those courageous and skillful astronauts have done great work.
    — Kim Stanley Robinson, National Geographic, 22 Mar. 2019
  • Many fans comment on the videos, joking that Floki is more skillful at footvolley than some of their friends.
    — Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2024
  • And can that leader evolve and morph over time, hopefully becoming more skillful.
    — Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Many of the actor's famous friends replied to the video, commenting on Ben's skillful moves.
    — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, 25 Apr. 2022
  • But thanks to Rose’s skillful pinning, the wigs remained firmly in place throughout.
    — Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2023
  • Chen’s skillful restraint prevents the conceit from ever taking over the book.
    — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
  • He is regarded as one of the sport’s most skillful artists, a virtuoso with a basketball in his hands.
    — Sopan Deb, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skillful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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