talent

noun

Save Word

tal·ent | \ ˈta-lənt

Definition of talent

1a : a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude

b : general intelligence or mental power : ability

2 : the natural endowments of a person

3 : a person of talent or a group of persons of talent in a field or activity

4a : any of several ancient units of weight

b : a unit of value equal to the value of a talent of gold or silver

5 archaic : a characteristic feature, aptitude, or disposition of a person or animal

Other Words from talent Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about talent

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for talent

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 talent in a Sentence

a singer with an enormous amount of talent I have no musical talent. Her artistic talent has been obvious ever since she was a child. They sang a duet in the talent show . She has a job that makes the most of her talents. His experience, skills, and talents make him perfectly suited for the job. There are many good players on the team, but she's a special talent. The company has hired some expensive legal talent for the trial. The team has recruited some of the best talent around. The company is doing a talent search to find the right person for the job.

Recent Examples on the Web With its abundance of musical talent and big potential user base, Nigeria is a likely candidate to be among the next markets for Joox’s Africa rollout, Yeung said. — Zheping Huang, Bloomberg.com, "Tencent Eyes Africa for Music App After Covid-19 Streaming Spike," 15 May 2020 Teams which throw successfully typically win because of arm talent and speed. — cleveland, "Is an offensive regression looming for Baltimore? What does it mean for the Cleveland Browns?," 12 May 2020 The National Guard offers a potential solution, with a bottom-up structure capable of reaching in-state societal talent and the ability to transition between state and federal authorities to protect U.S. democracy as the situation demands. — Monica M. Ruiz, Wired, "An Unlikely Partner to Counter Cyberattacks," 10 May 2020 Business lost trust after the financial crisis and then regained it as the labor market tightened and as companies had to compete for talent, and thus listen to employees more. — Jenny Anderson, Quartz, "Trust in government now exceeds the public’s faith in business," 7 May 2020 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is a tough and determined politician, a capable legislative leader, a political fundraiser of stupendous talent and a committed liberal who nonetheless knows when to moderate her stance for strategic purposes. — Barton Swaim, WSJ, "‘Pelosi’ Review: The Speaker’s Amanuensis," 4 May 2020 In Jordan is found intelligence, determination, talent, and an overwhelming competitive streak. — Matthew Continetti, National Review, "The End of History and ‘The Last Dance’," 2 May 2020 But as the cultural and financial capital of the world, New York is home to people with niche talents and expertise, from fashion designers to tech wizards. — Jane Margolies, New York Times, "When N.Y. Needed Hospital Space, Film Location Scouts Pitched In," 29 Apr. 2020 Luke Bryan is one of many artists putting their singing talents to good use during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "How to Watch and Stream Luke Bryan's 'Pay It Forward Live' Concert If You Missed It," 17 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'talent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about talent

Dictionary Entries near talent

Statistics for talent

Last Updated

19 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Talent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talent. Accessed 1 Jun. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for talent

talent

noun

English Language Learners Definition of talent

: a special ability that allows someone to do something well

: a person or group of people with a special ability to do something well : a talented person or group

British slang : people who are sexually attractive

See the full definition for talent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

talent

noun

tal·ent | \ ˈta-lənt

Kids Definition of talent

1 : unusual natural ability … Toby had a special talent for getting people off the hook by making the teacher laugh.— Zilpha Keatley Snyder, The Egypt Game

2 : a special often creative or artistic ability

3 : a person or group of people having special ability

Keep scrolling for more