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competent
/kəmˈpɛt(ə)nt/
capable
She is a competent engineer.
She has the necessary skills and ability.
formal
Having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully.
The committee appointed a competent manager to oversee the project.
They chose a manager who is qualified and effective.
Often used in professional, academic, or legal contexts to stress adequacy rather than excellence.
Collocations
competent authoritya body legally empowered to make decisionscompetent staffemployees who have the required skillscompetent handlingproper and effective management of a task
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Word Origin
Late Middle English, from Latin competentem (nominative competent), present participle of competere ‘to meet, be suitable’, from com‑ ‘together’ + petere ‘to seek, aim at’. The sense ‘suitable, qualified’ developed in the 15th century.
Usage Notes
Use ‘competent’ to describe sufficient ability. For a higher degree, choose ‘highly competent’ or ‘exceptionally competent’. It is not typically used for moral judgments; use ‘ethical’ or ‘honest’ for that.
English Dictionary