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Definition
capable (able to do something in a generally satisfactory manner)In the field of law, competent has the specialized meaning of being legally qualified to do something such as to be mentally fit to make reasonable decisions; or to have jurisdiction or authority to take an action.
- She is a competent student and I have no doubt she will be a competent lawyer one day.
competent = capable
- She is a competent; though not an outstanding manager.
- She is competent on both keyboard and violin.
- If a person keeps faithfully busy each hour of the working day, he can count on waking up some morning to find himself one of the competent ones of his generation.William James
- It was mighty dark out there, black as ink. 'd take somebody mighty used to the dark to make a competent witness...Harper Lee -- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Society in those days was a perfectly competent, perfectly complacent, ruthless machine.Virginia Woolf -- A Sketch of the Past
- PLAYER (modestly) : Oh, come, come, gentlemen-no flattery-it was merely competent The TRAGEDIANS are still congratulating him.Tom Stoppard -- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
- 'I am alive, you see, and competent.Willa Cather -- My Antonia
- Regardless, I suppose it was mildly competent, what you two did.Rick Riordan -- The Battle of the Labyrinth
- Let therefore the truth be first examined by competent Judges, or confuted by them that pretend to know the contrary.Thomas Hobbes -- Leviathan
- RICH He said, "Parliament has not the competence."Robert Bolt -- A Man for All Seasons
- I thanked him, feeling surprised that Puli had not known, he who was so competent in his way.Kamala Markandaya -- Nectar in a Sieve
- He's supposed to be a very brave type, very competent.William Styron -- Sophie's Choice
- Her voice was trained to a throaty purr that transmitted competent sex.J.D. Robb -- Glory in Death
- I wondered if her competence would be enough to save her.Stephenie Meyer -- New Moon
- It was nice to be the competent one for a change.Scott Westerfeld -- Uglies
- The honor court had selected its sternest, most competent prosecutor to try Pig's case.Pat Conroy -- The Lords of Discipline
- When you've recovered, we will test your competency in arms and magic.Christopher Paolini -- Eragon
- Of course her age was none of his business as long as she was competent.Betty Smith -- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
- Uncle Enzo is cooperating with Mr. Lee, which means working with Ng, and Ng, while highly competent, has a technological bias that Uncle Enzo distrusts.Neal Stephenson -- Snow Crash
competent = capable of doing an adequate job
competent = capable
competent = capable
competent = sufficiently capable