Meaning & use
with skill
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
In a way that shows trained ability and careful control.
Grammar: Comes after a verb to describe how an action is done: he argued with skill.
Patterns
- do something with skill
- handle something with skill
She steered the small boat through the rocks with skill.
The surgeon closed the wound with skill, leaving almost no scar.
He answered every awkward question with skill and good humor.
phrasefixed phrase
Using knowledge and experience gained from practice.
Grammar: Often used of work or performance rather than of people: the piece was performed with skill.
Patterns
- perform something with skill
- build something with skill
The cabinet was built with skill by a local craftsman.
Her early paintings were made with skill but little imagination.
Common combinations
- handle something with skill
- Good teachers handle a noisy class with skill.
- play with skill
- The young pianist played with skill beyond her years.
- with great skill
- The rescue was carried out with great skill.
- with skill and care
- The old manuscript was repaired with skill and care.
- manage something with skill
- She managed the merger with skill and patience.
Synonyms and how they differ
- skillfully
- An adverb, so it goes directly with the verb: she skillfully steered the boat; 'with skill' is a phrase that does the same job after the verb.
- expertly
- Suggests top-level professional ability, stronger than 'with skill'.
- competently
- Means well enough to do the job, but does not suggest unusual talent.
Opposites
Word family
- skill noun
- The ability to do something well, gained through training or practice.
- skilled adjective
- Describing a person who has been trained to do a job well.
- skillful adjective
- Describing an action or person that shows practiced ability.
- unskilled adjective
- Describing work that needs no special training, or a worker without it.
Commonly confused: with skill or skilled?
with skill vs skilled
An adjective describing a person or job: a skilled worker. 'With skill' describes how an action is done: he worked with skill.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'with skill' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'With skill' is a phrase that follows the verb and describes how the action is done, so 'repaired the clock with skill' is natural. Option A fails because 'with skill' cannot follow 'is very' like an adjective, and option C puts the phrase in an awkward place between the verb and its object.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “with skill”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.