gift 1 of 2

gift

2 of 2

verb

as in to bless
to furnish freely or naturally with some power, quality, or attribute gifted with an uncanny ability to persuade people to do things they ordinarily wouldn't

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun gift differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of gift are aptitude, bent, faculty, genius, knack, and talent. While all these words mean "a special ability for doing something," gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

When can aptitude be used instead of gift?

The words aptitude and gift can be used in similar contexts, but aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

How do bent and aptitude relate to one another, in the sense of gift?

Bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

Where would faculty be a reasonable alternative to gift?

In some situations, the words faculty and gift are roughly equivalent. However, faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

When could genius be used to replace gift?

The meanings of genius and gift largely overlap; however, genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

When would knack be a good substitute for gift?

Although the words knack and gift have much in common, knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

In what contexts can talent take the place of gift?

The synonyms talent and gift are sometimes interchangeable, but talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gift
Noun
Give the beauty fan on your list the gift of sleek hair this holiday season. Tim Chan, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025 All six cups have a gift tag where baristas can write a message to customers. Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Her hair and camp dress still had some of the special paint used to transform the 11-year-old girl into Changing Woman, the Apache deity who was the first woman of her people, gifted with spiritual and physical power during the Sunrise Dance, one of the Apache people’s most enduring ceremonies. Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025 With yet another ironclad prenup on our hands, Liberty tells Sheila that the $40 million in jewelry her husband gifted her over the years will be her meal ticket. Tom Smyth, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association in Tate's name.
    Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Valagussa said the parish was already cooking lunch regularly for about 60 seniors, pregnant women and others in need but had no resources to provide food to more people, unless more donations poured in.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • With a new wave of talent, including Santiago Giménez, Edson Álvarez, and César Montes leading the charge, El Tri are blending youthful energy with experienced leadership.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • My father had two superpowers that saved him in the face of all those failures—his talent for telling stories and gardening.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • As long as the message hasn’t changed and people are still blessed and inspired, that’s all that matters.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Sands points to data showing that the world has gotten substantially better at finding people with TB since the World Health Organization blessed the AI technology in 2021 and released a toolkit on how to properly calibrate it to each local population and setting.
    NPR, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • In between detonating bombs hidden in Christmas presents and disfiguring the entire police force, Art sets his sights on the Shaw family.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
  • When looking for gifts for 5-year-olds, opt for presents that encourage cooperative play, such as a family-friendly board game.
    Anja Webb, Parents, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Performing stand-up since the age of 15, Nasso first discovered his knack for impressions while mimicking SpongeBob and Shrek characters as a mustachioed, 160-pound 10-year-old boy.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Leaning on Park’s knack for storytelling, the exhibit includes six installations inspired by Korean folklore and the obangsaek (the traditional Korean color spectrum) of blue, red, yellow, white, and black.
    Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • James said the law and court precedent don’t support Sanders’ arguments, stating the authority the governor is asserting has been endowed on her office through laws passed by the General Assembly, so that power could never be absolute like the governor claimed.
    John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing met in Moscow in May to discuss cooperation, endowing the junta with an air of global legitimacy.
    Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There will be presentations to honor veterans, guest speakers and a salute from the Vista City Council.
    Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The presentation concluded with emphasis on Thailand’s maturing creative ecosystem, supported by eight key government agencies coordinating to promote Thai soft power, expand cultural influence and drive media exports while attracting international talent and investment.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Mount’s defensive aptitude proved important in keeping United compact throughout, regularly dropping into vacant spaces to slow down any nascent attacks.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Her aptitude was unavoidable at the Fendi show, where top models holding desirable handbags, styled with joyful knits, eye-catching dresses and sporty separates, strutted past guests, including actors Hilary Duff, Naomi Watts and Bang Chan of the South Korean boy band Stray Kids.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gift

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!