skill

skill — noun

1. A practical ability in a particular area that you build up by training, practisi

1.nounA2
Definition

A practical ability in a particular area that you build up by training, practising, or gaining repeated experience over time.

Example

Talia's skill at negotiating contracts made her the best lawyer in the firm.

skill at + gerund/noun for specific ability

The master carpenter passed his woodworking skills down to his granddaughter Lan.

compound noun: woodworking skills

Common collocations
  • acquire a skill
  • develop a skill
  • improve a skill
  • learn a skill
  • master a skill
  • practise a skill
  • use a skill
  • transferable skills
  • basic skills
  • practical skills
  • interpersonal skills
Synonyms
  • ability

    Broader term; skill implies a learned, practised ability, while ability can be natural or general.

  • expertise

    Stronger and more formal; suggests deep, specialist knowledge gained over a long period.

  • proficiency

    Focuses on meeting a certain standard or level, often used in formal or assessment contexts.

  • competence

    Refers to being good enough to do something adequately, rather than excelling.

Antonyms
  • incompetence

    Lack of the necessary ability to perform a task.

Grammar Patterns

skill + at + noun/gerund

skill + in + noun/gerund

skill + to-infinitive

skill + that-clause

Usage Note

Can be either countable ('She has many useful skills') or uncountable ('He showed great skill at handling the situation'). The uncountable form emphasises general ability; the countable form refers to specific, identifiable abilities. Use 'at' or 'in' after the noun ('skill at cooking', 'skill in diplomacy'), not 'of'.

Common Mistakes

She has a great skill in cooking.
She has great skill at cooking.
When referring to ability in a general sense, use the uncountable form without an article.
I need to improve my skill of English.
I need to improve my English skills.
Use the compound noun form or 'skill at/in', not 'skill of'.
He learned skill to play guitar.
He learned the skill of playing guitar.' or ✅ 'He learned guitar skills.
The noun requires an article or determiner before it.

skill — verb

Word family

  • skilled
    adjectiveB1
  • skillful
    adjectiveB1
  • unskilled
    adjectiveB2
  • skillfully
    adverbB2
  • skillset
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words relate to being able to do something, but they emphasise different sources and levels. 'Ability' is the broadest term — it can be natural ('natural ability in music') or learned. 'Skill' strongly implies that the ability has been developed through training or practice ('typing skills', 'negotiation skills'). 'Talent' suggests a natural gift or aptitude that one is born with ('a talent for drawing'), which may or may not be further developed. 'Expertise' is the deepest level, referring to specialist knowledge gained over years of experience ('medical expertise'), and is more formal. 'Proficiency' sits between skill and expertise, focusing on having reached a measurable standard ('proficiency in Spanish at B2 level'). In everyday use: 'She has the ability to learn quickly, but her real skill is in solving complex problems — a talent for seeing patterns that others miss, backed by years of expertise in data science.'

ability ↗expertise ↗proficiencytalent ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • communication skills
  • leadership skills
  • language skills
  • management skills
  • social skills
  • computer skills
  • writing skills

Adverbs

  • highly skilled
  • technically skilled
  • socially skilled

Phrases

  • basic skills
  • practical skills
  • transferable skills
  • soft skills
  • hard skills

Prepositions

  • skill at
  • skill in
  • skill with

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'skill' entered English from Old Norse 'skil', meaning 'distinction' or 'discernment', and is related to the Old Norse verb 'skilja' (to separate, distinguish, or understand). The original sense was about the ability to tell things apart and make sound judgments. Over time, the meaning broadened to refer generally to any ability gained through learning and practice. The verb sense was once more common in English but is now considered archaic.