talent

noun

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

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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

Many men of differing talents and skills have served as president, and many more will do so as the decades unfold, bringing new strength and glory to these United States of America. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "Read Brian Mulroney's Moving Eulogy at George H.W. Bush's Funeral," 5 Dec. 2018 MaKayla beat out both the multi-media act Front Pictures and dancers Da Republik when the audience was given a 30-minute window to vote to keep one of the three talents. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "The 'America's Got Talent' Quarterfinals Results Are in and They're Very Controversial," 23 Aug. 2018 If one of these jobs fit your talents, go ahead and apply here. — Alexis Jones, Woman's Day, "Amazon Is Hiring Over 200 Work-From-Home Positions With Benefits," 9 Aug. 2018 The Pirates, who have been reluctant to part with young prospects in recent years at the deadline, gave up a pair of promising talents in Meadows and Glasnow. — Will Graves, The Seattle Times, "Pirates bolster rotation, add Tampa Bay’s Archer at deadline," 31 July 2018 The Pirates, who have been reluctant to part with young prospects in recent years at the deadline, gave up a pair of promising talents in Meadows and Glasnow. — Fox News, "Pittsburgh Pirates trade for Chris Archer in bid to bolster rotation," 31 July 2018 Arts and crafts persons of all talents are invited to submit applications for this popular event. — Courant Community, "Community News For The Valley Edition," 10 July 2018 Absurdly comic and ominously insightful about corporate culture and the difficulty of being true to yourself, the movie features a stunning ensemble of hip talents, including Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Armie Hammer and Steven Yeun. — Mark Olsen, latimes.com, "Indie Focus: Transformations in 'Sorry to Bother You,' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' and 'Whitney'," 8 July 2018 Exhibit of new works in wide variety of media showcases talents of 17 of Queen City Art Club members. — Rasputin Todd, Cincinnati.com, "Things to do this week in Cincinnati: July 2-8," 2 July 2018

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.

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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

: 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