nifty

1 of 2

adjective

nif·​ty ˈnif-tē 

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

b

: very pleasant or enjoyable

a nifty performance

… this barrier isle off North Carolina's southernmost coast still provides a nifty getaway.

—Spike Gillespie

The Smithereens consistently present nifty, driving songs, quite involved by pop standards.

—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

Some investors are catching on to a nifty tax-saving trick allowable by Roth IRA rules.

—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

niftily

ˈnif-tə-lē 

adverb

Harrison is an upwardly mobile … young man with a wife, son and a niftily restored house in San Francisco.

—John J. O'Connor

nifty

2 of 2

noun

plural nifties

: something that is nifty

especially : a clever or neatly turned phrase or joke

Synonyms of nifty

Adjective

• excellent
• wonderful
• awesome
• terrific
• great
• lovely
• fantastic
• superb
• fabulous
• beautiful
• marvelous
• stellar
• neat
• prime
• fine
• hot
• cool

Noun

• joke
• laugh
• funny
• joking

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

Adjective

The nifty piece doubles as a side table and cooler that can hold forty 12-ounce cans. — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 24 June 2026

The Levoit vacuum transforms into a nifty hand vacuum, too, complete with crevice and pet tools to reach between cushions or clean stairs. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026

If so, Lee offers some interesting playmaking capability as a nifty passer who can get into plays with some zip and deliver balls on the move. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Jessie takes a step into the franchise spotlight in a nifty exploration of children, tech and friendship – plus the importance of in-person interaction – while Conan O'Brien steals the movie as a potty-training toy. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 19 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

origin unknown

First Known Use

Adjective

1865, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1918, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nifty

• fifty
• shifty
• thrifty
• unthrifty

Kids Definition

nifty

adjective

nif·​ty

ˈnif-tē

niftier; niftiest

informal

: very good : very attractive

nifty noun