craft

noun

\ ˈkraft

Definition of craft

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : skill in planning, making, or executing : dexterity "We have not the strength with which to fight this man; we must … win, if win we can, by craft."— Jack London

2a : an occupation or trade requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill the carpenter's craft the craft of writing plays crafts such as pottery, carpentry, and sewing He learned the craft as an apprentice.

b crafts plural : articles made by craftspeople a store selling crafts a crafts fair

3 : skill in deceiving to gain an end used craft and guile to close the deal

4 : the members of a trade or trade association

5 plural usually craft

a : a boat especially of small size

b : aircraft

c : spacecraft

craft

verb

crafted; crafting; crafts

Definition of craft (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to make or produce with care, skill, or ingenuity She is crafting a new sculpture. a carefully crafted story

Other Words from craft Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about craft

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Choose the Right Synonym for craft

Noun

art, skill, cunning, artifice, craft mean the faculty of executing well what one has devised. art implies a personal, unanalyzable creative power. the art of choosing the right word skill stresses technical knowledge and proficiency. the skill of a glassblower cunning suggests ingenuity and subtlety in devising, inventing, or executing. a mystery plotted with great cunning artifice suggests technical skill especially in imitating things in nature. believed realism in film could be achieved only by artifice craft may imply expertness in workmanship. the craft of a master goldsmith

Examples of craft in a Sentence

Noun

the craft of cabinetmaking was much admired in colonial times borrowed a craft to get across the river

Verb

The furniture is crafted from bamboo. He is crafting a new sculpture. She crafted a strategy to boost the company's earnings.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Got a craft brewery, distillery, winery in your area? — Gena Kaufman, Glamour, "21 Rainy-Day Date Ideas That Aren't Another Movie," 30 Mar. 2019 Its cinema techniques are stark and distinctive, making it a textbook film, in many ways, for students looking to learn the craft. — Aja Romano, Vox, "Why Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Conformist still resonates today," 3 Dec. 2018 In Portsmouth, check into the cozy, inn-style Hotel Portsmouth, which screams Americana and is within walking distance to the town’s best restaurants, old-school coffee shops, and craft breweries. — Paul Rubio, Condé Nast Traveler, "Beautiful Places to See New England Fall Foliage This Year," 5 Oct. 2018 You might even be tempted to pick up a few extra arts and crafts hobbies. — Tiffany Dodson, SELF, "8 Tie-Dye Leggings to Add to Your Activewear Collection ASAP," 5 May 2019 The craft, which arrived at the Red Planet in July 2004, has been out of communication since last summer. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "NASA Says Goodnight to Opportunity, Its Most Enduring Mars Rover," 13 Feb. 2019 The GoodYear Blimp account, however, seemed to put the kibosh on the notion that the craft was extraterrestrial in nature. — Fox News, "UFO speculation surges after North Carolina lake video goes viral," 16 Aug. 2018 This craft will be the first spacecraft intended to study Europa exclusively. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, "Europa’s Buried Ocean Could Rise to the Surface (Video)," 11 July 2018 Both the craft and the rocket were re-used from previous missions, continuing to demonstrate the fulfillment of SpaceX’s long-term goal of creating reusable spacecraft. — David Z. Morris, Fortune, "How to Watch SpaceX’s Dragon Ship Deliver Coffee, Experiments, and a Smiling Robot to the International Space Station," 2 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Michaels: For any Thanksgiving crafting needs, Michaels should be open in the evening. — Amina Lake Abdelrahman, Good Housekeeping, "These Stores Will Be Open on Thanksgiving Day," 9 Oct. 2018 Officials at the Boston Planning & Development Agency, which spent five years crafting the zoning plan, declined to comment, as did a spokesman for Beaton. — Tim Logan, BostonGlobe.com, "CLF plans suit to overturn new zoning that allows skyscrapers on harbor’s edge," 20 June 2018 Racially fluid people reject the box they're put in and craft their own identity. — John Blake, CNN, "The blurring of racial lines won't save America. Why 'racial fluidity' is a con," 11 June 2018 Regulators spent years crafting hundreds of pages of rules aimed at stopping financial institutions that make loans and offer checking and savings accounts from taking on the same type of risks as hedge funds. — The Washington Post, OregonLive.com, "Federal Reserve scales back 'Volcker Rule' limits on bank trading," 30 May 2018 Think: slippers, but crafted out of bread, as well as a classic hanging rug. — Vogue, "Rick Owens and Estonian Rapper Tommy Cash Stage a Wonderfully Weird Exhibition," 3 May 2019 Apologies to anyone who's spent hours crafting a detailed theory that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal baby is already here, but Buckingham Palace just made a rare statement that basically told everyone to chill out. — Glamour, "Buckingham Palace Just Gave a Status Update on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Baby," 2 May 2019 Tommy Dunne heads up the team that crafted all of it. — Amanda Sims, House Beautiful, "6 Insane Details From the Building of the "Battle of Winterfell" Set," 2 May 2019 Kim also shared the four photos to her Twitter account, and some users got creative and crafted a few hilarious and relatable memes based on the shots. — Nicole Saunders, Harper's BAZAAR, "North West Borrowed Kim Kardashian's High Heel Snakeskin Boots," 25 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'craft.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near craft

Statistics for craft

Last Updated

22 May 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for craft

The first known use of craft was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for craft

craft

noun

English Language Learners Definition of craft

(Entry 1 of 2)

: an activity that involves making something in a skillful way by using your hands

: a job or activity that requires special skill

: objects made by skillful use of the hands

craft

verb

English Language Learners Definition of craft (Entry 2 of 2)

: to make or produce (something) with care or skill

See the full definition for craft in the English Language Learners Dictionary

craft

noun

\ ˈkraft

Kids Definition of craft

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : skill in making things especially with the hands

2 : an occupation or trade requiring skill with the hands or as an artist Carpentry is a craft.

3 plural usually craft : a boat especially when of small size

4 plural usually craft : aircraft

5 : skill and cleverness often used to trick people What he lacked in speed … was more than made up for by his craft …— Robert Lawson, Rabbit Hill