knack

noun

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
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 When queried about what drives Pamela Hopkins’ continual success in the country music scene, Stover quickly credited her relentless work ethic and her knack for storytelling. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 1 Oct. 2024 Arkansas won the first three editions of the Southwest Classic but has had a knack for being unable to close games since the series moved back to Arlington in 2014. Matt Jones, arkansasonline.com, 28 Sep. 2024 The coed collection highlights the voluptuous tailoring and sensual drape of Pilati’s designs, as well his knack for eye-catching accessories. Sandra Salibian, WWD, 27 Sep. 2024 Mounir credits his knack for design to YouTube which served as an immersive class for him. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for knack 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knak

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of knack was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near knack

Cite this Entry

“Knack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knack. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

knack

noun
1
: a clever or skillful way of doing something : trick
2
: a natural ability : talent
has a knack for making friends

More from Merriam-Webster on knack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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