Meaning & use
skill set or skillset
Last updated
UK/ˈskɪl set/
US/ˈskɪl set/
Meaning
nouncountable
The range of abilities and knowledge that a person has for doing a job or task.
Grammar: Takes an or the, and often a possessive: her skill set.
Patterns
- broaden your skill set
- a skill set for something
Her skill set includes coding, design and project management.
The job needs a very specific skill set.
He wants to widen his skill set before changing careers.
Word forms
| plural | skill sets |
|---|
Common combinations
- broaden a skill set
- Online courses helped her broaden her skill set.
- a diverse skill set
- The team has a diverse skill set.
- a specialized skill set
- Pilots need a specialized skill set.
- transferable skill set
- Teaching gave him a transferable skill set.
Synonyms and how they differ
- expertise
- Expertise means deep knowledge in one area, while skill set is a group of different abilities.
- abilities
- Abilities can include natural talent, whereas a skill set suggests trained, practical skills.
- repertoire
- Repertoire suggests a collection one can perform or draw on, often in arts, while skill set is more workplace language.
Word family
- skill noun
- The ability to do something well.
- skilled adjective
- Having ability gained through training.
- skillful adjective
- Showing great skill.
- skillfully adverb
- In a skillful way.
Practice
Her wide ___ makes her a strong candidate for the job.
Choose one answer.
The established phrase is skill set. The other options are not normal collocations.
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