knack

noun

ˈnak 

1

: a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach

2

a

: a clever trick or stratagem

b

: a clever way of doing something

3

archaic : an ingenious device

broadly : toy, knickknack

Synonyms of knack

• ruse
• trick
• scheme
• device

Choose the Right Synonym for knack

gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something.

gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

Examples of knack in a Sentence

She has a knack for telling interesting stories.

The jazz musician has an incredible knack for improvisation.

Recent Examples on the Web

In their home in Rambouillet, paintings, antiques and knick-knacks line walls and shelves in a manner reminiscent of an exhibition. —Caroline Baum, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025

Caroline Hirsch, founder and former owner of the New York comedy club Carolines on Broadway, is known for an innate knack for identifying the next big thing in comedy… and Gaffigan was one of those comedians. —Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 9 Nov. 2025

For the White Stripes, Saturday’s glittery Los Angeles affair was a sharp contrast to their humble start in the Cass Corridor, where the duo’s minimalist approach and crisp red-and-white aesthetic came with a knack for frenzied musical abandon. —Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 9 Nov. 2025

The first-year coach has been effusive about Johnson’s knack for relocation and natural feel for cutting. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knak

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for knack

• ack
• brack
• clack
• crack
• dak
• flack
• flak
• hack
• jack
• lac
• lack
• lak

Kids Definition

knack

noun

ˈnak 

1

: a clever or skillful way of doing something : trick

2

: a natural ability : talent

has a knack for making friends