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

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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

In addition to food, the event featured vendor booths, face painting, opportunity drawings, crafts and a bake sale. — Ramona Sentinel, "Rib & Chicken Fest hits high mark," 12 July 2019 Not because the scene was especially touching or sad, but because of the sheer extravagant craft that had clearly gone into rendering those two seconds of reflexive animal behavior. — Joey Nolfi, EW.com, "Critics softly purr in favor of 'unnecessary' but 'gorgeous' Lion King remake," 11 July 2019 Red Star, a lounge and dance club with craft cocktails, will occupy the second and third floors. — Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "New bar-restaurants Uncle Buck's and Red Star will take advantage of location next to Fiserv Forum beer garden," 9 July 2019 This after-party will feature live music from Cleveland’s own Mariama Whyte, games and craft cocktails from 10 p.m. to midnight. — cleveland.com, "Be careful around Horseshoe Lake; benefit at EDWINS on Shaker Square; more: Press Run," 28 June 2019 Stop 1: Steamboat Springs Start in downtown Steamboat Springs, which has blossomed lately with a spate of craft cocktail bars and small-plate dining rooms (try The Laundry). — Alex Schechter, National Geographic, "Here is the ultimate hot springs road trip in Colorado," 24 June 2019 The focus is on gourmet versions of Mexican street food with strong craft cocktails — including excellent margaritas — from the adjacent full bar. — Jessica Yadegaran, The Mercury News, "10 best new Bay Area restaurants for outdoor dining," 24 June 2019 There are bird decorations hanging from the ceiling, bird art on the walls, and craft cocktails. — Briana Rice, Cincinnati.com, "Here are 10 of the best LGBTQ-friendly bars in Cincinnati," 14 June 2019 In the Sharq Village & Spa Hotel, the new lounge Iris has been an immediate hit, with an open-air rooftop setting, sleek design, and craft cocktails served with a soundtrack of international bands and DJs. — Jenna Scatena, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Doha Is Much More Than a Stopover Destination," 4 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

In December, 2003, June began a collaboration with two scientists, Dario Campana and Chihaya Imai, who were working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in Memphis, to craft T cells that would target CD19. — Siddhartha Mukherjee, The New Yorker, "The Promise and Price of Cellular Therapies," 15 July 2019 As the probe dragged on, FTC Chairman Joe Simons came under increasing pressure from lawmakers and privacy advocates to craft a tough settlement that would protect users’ privacy. — David Mclaughlin And Daniel Stoller / Bloomberg, Time, "Facebook's Getting Slapped With a $5 Billion FTC Privacy Settlement," 12 July 2019 As the probe dragged on, FTC Chairman Joe Simons came under increasing pressure from lawmakers and privacy advocates to craft a tough settlement that would protect users' privacy. — Bloomberg Wire, Dallas News, "Facebook $5 billion U.S. privacy settlement approved by FTC," 12 July 2019 As the probe dragged on, FTC Chairman Joe Simons came under increasing pressure from lawmakers and privacy advocates to craft a tough settlement that would protect users’ privacy. — David Mclaughlin, Fortune, "Facebook $5 Billion U.S. Privacy Settlement Approved by FTC," 12 July 2019 Once more, cannily efficient words—a tricky year—chafe against the carefully crafted, strategically vulnerable discussion that came before. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, "Aziz Ansari and the Physics of Moving Forward," 11 July 2019 The plan was dealt a severe blow last month when the Supreme Court blocked the question, though left an opening for the Census Bureau to craft a new justification for it. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The War to Empower Rural White Voters Is Bigger Than Trump," 9 July 2019 Democrats must carefully craft a message that talks about how all Americans can earn a good life in the digital age. — Doug Friednash, The Denver Post, "Friednash: Democrats need to focus on what really matters to voters to win in 2020," 5 July 2019 Currently, 10 businesses running the gamut from pizza and Mexican cuisine to craft cocktail bars and storefronts selling wine, apparel and gift-worthy items occupy the 14,000-square-foot space. — Georgann Yara, azcentral, "‘Profit-with-a-purpose’ Churchill thrives in downtown Phoenix," 4 July 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

17 Jul 2019

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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