skilled
/skɪld/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Having a high level of ability in a job, activity, or craft. A skilled person can do something well because of training or practice.
- She is a skilled nurse.
- We need skilled workers.
- He is skilled at fixing cars.
Adinary Nuance
Skilled is stronger than good or able. It usually suggests real training, experience, and reliable performance. In formal writing, it is common in job, education, and work contexts, where talented or expert may sound more personal or stronger. Use skilled when you want to focus on practical ability.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- có kỹ năng
- Spanish
- hábil
- Chinese
- 熟练的
- Japanese
- 熟練した
- Korean
- 숙련된
Etymology
Skilled comes from skill, which entered English in the Middle Ages from Old Norse skil, meaning 'discernment' or 'knowledge'. The adjective developed later to mean 'having ability through practice'.
Common phrases
skilled workerskilled labourskilled at doing somethinghighly skilled
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is skilled more formal than good?
- Yes. Skilled is more precise and often used in work, study, and professional contexts.
- What is the difference between skilled and talented?
- Skilled usually means ability from practice or training. Talented often suggests natural ability.
- Can I say skilled in something?
- Yes. You can say "skilled in" for general areas, like "skilled in communication."
- Is skilled a common word in IELTS writing?
- Yes. It is common in academic and job-related writing, especially about people and work.