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

Nico Hoerner started a nifty double play on Cooper Pratt’s grounder that pulled him in the hole away from second base, which Dansby Swanson quickly turned to get Pratt at first. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026

The business end of the X12 (the dispenser) looks super modern and nifty. — Joe Salas june 28, New Atlas, 28 June 2026

Played with aplomb by newcomer Kevin de Paula, the striker’s nifty footwork, rooted in the tradition of ginga, speaks louder than any self-congratulations. — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026

Pimiento cheese, chicken salad, spinach dip, and salsa—cold food items—can all be served in the nifty Crofton Dip Chiller Bowls that are on sale this week at ALDI. — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 25 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