# smooth operator

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/smooth-operator
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc.

## Examples

- He is a smooth operator who always gets what he wants.
- The new manager is such a smooth operator that he convinced the entire team to work overtime without a single complaint.
- With his effortless charm and calculated rhetoric, the politician proved himself a smooth operator capable of navigating even the most hostile debates.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.