niftier; niftiest
informal
: very good: such as
a
: very attractive or appealing
nifty clothes
Jon Gnagy was an artist—you could tell this by the nifty goatee he wore …—
Andy Meisler
Andy Meisler
b
: very pleasant or enjoyable
a nifty performance
… this barrier isle off North Carolina's southernmost coast still provides a nifty getaway.—Spike Gillespie
Spike GillespieThe Smithereens consistently present nifty, driving songs, quite involved by pop standards.—David Hiltbrand
David Hiltbrand
c
: very interesting or clever : ingenious
a nifty device
The museum's gift shop is well-stocked, complete with a nifty machine that, for $1, will crush a fresh penny into a copper medal bearing the likeness of T. Rex.—Carl Wayne Arrington
Carl Wayne ArringtonSome investors are catching on to a nifty tax-saving trick allowable by Roth IRA rules.—Karen Hube
Karen Hube
d
: well-executed
A fan leaned out of the stands and made a nifty grab of the ricochet, and received a nice round of applause.—George Vecsay
George Vecsay
niftily
adverb
Harrison is an upwardly mobile … young man with a wife, son and a niftily restored house in San Francisco.
—John J. O'Connor
John J. O'Connor
plural nifties
: something that is nifty
especially
: a clever or neatly turned phrase or joke
Synonyms of nifty
Examples of nifty in a Sentence
Adjective
a nifty pair of shoes
This nifty little machine can do just about anything.
Noun
though ostensibly a drama, the play is filled with zingy little nifties that lighten the mood
that joke was a nifty
Recent Examples on the Web
Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
There’s a nifty feature on the bike – its locking mechanism for the clutch lever.
—New Atlas, 27 Jan. 2026
For every tree felled in the development of the hotel, two saplings were planted, and what's more, for every day that a guest decides to forgo housekeeping, a new tree will be planted (there's a nifty switch in your room so staff know).
—Grainne McBride, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Hamilton Beach Electric Egg Cooker Cooking eggs has never been easier thanks to this nifty Hamilton Beach cooker.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nifty
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Adjective
Moss runs play after play for him, and Siler — who showed off several nifty low post moves against Caldwell Community, including a roaring one-handed dunk that caused the opposing coach to run on the court to call timeout — has made a big jump.
—Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
There’s a nifty feature on the bike – its locking mechanism for the clutch lever.
—New Atlas, 27 Jan. 2026
For every tree felled in the development of the hotel, two saplings were planted, and what's more, for every day that a guest decides to forgo housekeeping, a new tree will be planted (there's a nifty switch in your room so staff know).
—Grainne McBride, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Hamilton Beach Electric Egg Cooker Cooking eggs has never been easier thanks to this nifty Hamilton Beach cooker.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nifty
Cite this Entry
“Nifty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nifty. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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