Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

aptitude

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of aptitude

1 a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
  • an elfish toddler with an aptitude for mischief
Synonyms of aptitude

affection, affinity, bent, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn
Words Related to aptitude

favor, one-sidedness, partisanship, prejudice

endowment, faculty, flair, genius, gift, knack, talent

addiction, appetite, fancy, fondness, like, liking, preference, taste

forte, speciality, specialty

convention, custom, habit, pattern, practice (also practise), routine, trick, way, wont

eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, kink, oddity, peculiarity, quirk, singularity
Near Antonyms of aptitude

allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste

detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity

apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern
2 a special and usually inborn ability
  • Clara has an aptitude for math.
Synonyms of aptitude

bent, endowment, faculty, flair, genius, gift, head, knack, talent
Words Related to aptitude

affinity, bias, disposition, impulse, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn

ear, eye, mind, nose

feel, hang, instinct, touch, way

capability, competence, facility, proficiency, skill

capacity, potential, power

forte, specialty
Near Antonyms of aptitude

disability, handicap, inability, incapacity

shortcoming, weakness

Synonym Discussion of aptitude

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

Learn More about aptitude

  1. See words that rhyme with aptitude Dictionary: Definition of aptitude Medical Dictionary: Definition of aptitude Spanish Central: Translation of aptitude Nglish: Translation of aptitude for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of aptitude for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about aptitude

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up aptitude? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games