competent

6 definitions • 9 examples

able to do something well:

a competent secretary/rider/cook

I wouldn't say he was brilliant but he is competent at his job.

having the skills or knowledge to do something well enough to meet a basic standard:

[ + to infinitive ] All we want is someone competent to manage the staff.

law having enough mental ability for a particular purpose:

[ + to infinitive ] The judge decided that he was competent to stand trial.

able to do something well:

A competent sales manager should have known exactly what to do in that situation.

Operators must be fully competent in the use of the system.

We have highly competent consultants, with a broad range of expertise.

good enough, but not excellent:

People who work for us need to be more than merely competent; they need to excel.

able or allowed to make legal decisions:

The prospective jurors did not indicate whether they thought the plaintiff was competent.