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When you are adept at something, you are very good, skillful, or talented at it.
Someone who is adroit is skillful and clever, especially in thought, behavior, or action.
When a person is ambidextrous, they can use their left or right hand with equal skill.
If someone is competent in a job, they are able and skilled enough to do it well.
If someone shows consummate skill at doing something, that person’s skill is very great or almost perfect in every way.
A deft movement or action is made quickly and with skill.
An eclectic assortment of things or people comes from many varied sources; additionally, it usually includes the best of those sources.
Efficacy is the ability or power to produce an expected effect or result.
A facet of a cut gemstone is one of its surfaces.
Someone who is feckless is incompetent and lacks the determination or skill to achieve much of anything at all in life.
If someone exhibits finesse in something, they do it with great skill and care; this most often refers to handling difficult situations that might easily offend people.
A fruitless effort at doing something does not bring about a successful result.
A futile attempt at doing something is hopeless and pointless because it simply cannot be accomplished.
A heterogeneous grouping is made up of many differing or unlike parts.
The word homogeneous is used to describe a group that has members or parts which are similar or are all of the same type.
Someone who is ineffectual at a task is useless or ineffective when attempting to do it.
Someone who is inept is unable or unsuitable to do a job; hence, they are unfit for it.
Ingenuity in solving a problem uses creativity, intelligence, and cleverness.
A collection of things is motley if its parts are so different that they do not seem to belong in the same space; groups of widely variegated people can also be described as motley.
Something that is multifarious is made up of many kinds of different things.
If you have a myriad of things, you have so many and such a great variety of them that it’s hard or impossible to keep track of or count them all.
If you do something with panache, you do it in a way that shows great skill, style, and confidence.
A panoply is a large and impressive collection of people or things.
A person who is plastic can be easily influenced and molded by others.
A polyglot is someone who can speak or understand many languages.
A polymath is a person who knows a great deal about many different subjects.
Something or someone that is protean is adaptable, variable, or changeable in nature.
If you have prowess, you possess considerable skill or ability in something.
A smorgasbord is a wide variety of things, generally but not always pertaining to a sizable buffet.
The phrase “all and sundry” refers to everyone—not just a few chosen people.
Someone who is ungainly is clumsy or awkward; something ungainly can be difficult to use, primarily because of its size or weight.
Something that is variegated has various tones or colors; it can also mean filled with variety.
A virtuoso is someone who is very skillful at something, especially playing a musical instrument.
Adj.
versatile
VER-suh-tahyl
Context
When looking for a job, it is a good idea to be highly versatile or skilled at doing many different things. Hiring managers often look at how versatile or flexible someone is since a new employee is often asked to complete many different tasks. A versatile or all-around knowledge of how to do things can be helpful in getting a job that pays well too. Once you’re hired, being a versatile or useful worker with many talents and the ability to adapt will support you in a successful career.
Quiz:Try again!
What is something that a teacher might say to a versatile student?
I know you can do better in this class if you put in a little more effort.
You are doing so well in all your classes—and on the soccer field too.
If you don’t stop breaking the rules, I will have to call your parents.
Very Good SAT A student who gets a very good SAT score is versatile in academics!
Examples
Brendan Gleeson, as a veteran warrior, and Liam Neeson, as the hero’s knightly pop, are versatile performers who can do just about anything.
—
The Christian Science Monitor
Ric Ocasek was a versatile singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and producer with a vast array of interests, from high art to lowbrow trash.
—
The New York Times
Something versatile “tends towards turning,” that is, can be “turned” towards multiple uses.
Word Theater
Rage Saw This versatile saw can cut just about anything.
The panel shows a small video clip of either the word in actual use or a scene that represents the meaning of a word. This not only breaks up the monotony of studying words but also provides another avenue to strengthen word meaning. Enjoy!
Word Constellation
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Related Words
adept ·
adroit ·
ambidextrous ·
competent ·
consummate ·
deft* ·
eclectic* ·
efficacy ·
finesse ·
heterogeneous* ·
ingenuity ·
motley* ·
multifarious ·
myriad* ·
panache ·
panoply* ·
plastic ·
polyglot ·
polymath ·
protean+ ·
prowess ·
smorgasbord* ·
sundry* ·
variegated ·
virtuoso* ·
facet* ·
feckless+ ·
fruitless ·
futile ·
homogeneous* ·
ineffectual+ ·
inept+ ·
ungainly ·
Similar sense
Opposite sense
Word Variants
versatility
n
→
able to do many things well
The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.
