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Proactive vs Proficient - What's the difference?

proactive | proficient |

As adjectives the difference between proactive and proficient

is that proactive is acting in advance to deal with an expected change or difficulty while proficient is good at; skilled; fluent; practiced, especially in relation to a task or skill.

As a noun proficient is

an expert.

proactive

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Acting in advance to deal with an expected change or difficulty
  • We can deal with each problem as it pops up, or we can take a proactive stance and try to prevent future problems.

    Usage notes

    Some consider proactive to be a buzzword, and it is associated with business-speak.The good grammar guide, by Richard Palmer, 2003, p. 157 Depending on use, alternatives include active, or “show initiative” instead of “be proactive ”.

    Synonyms

    * anticipatory * forward-looking

    Antonyms

    * reactive

    Derived terms

    * proactively * proactivity * proactiveness

    References

    * The Word Detective, Issue of February 5, 2001 ----

    proficient

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Good at; skilled; fluent; practiced, especially in relation to a task or skill.
  • He was a proficient writer with an interest in human nature.
  • * 1912 : (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 5
  • By constant playing and experimenting with these he learned to tie rude knots, and make sliding nooses; and with these he and the younger apes amused themselves. What Tarzan did they tried to do also, but he alone originated and became proficient .

    Synonyms

    * (good at) skilled, fluent, practiced

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An expert.
  • Synonyms

    * (expert) expert; see also