craft 1 of 2

1
as in art
an occupation requiring skillful use of the hands an expert in the craft of cabinetmaking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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craft

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun craft contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of craft are artifice, art, cunning, and skill. While all these words mean "the faculty of executing well what one has devised," craft may imply expertness in workmanship.

the craft of a master goldsmith

When is it sensible to use art instead of craft?

In some situations, the words art and craft are roughly equivalent. However, art implies a personal, unanalyzable creative power.

the art of choosing the right word

When could artifice be used to replace craft?

While in some cases nearly identical to craft, artifice suggests technical skill especially in imitating things in nature.

believed realism in film could be achieved only by artifice

Where would cunning be a reasonable alternative to craft?

The words cunning and craft are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cunning suggests ingenuity and subtlety in devising, inventing, or executing.

a mystery plotted with great cunning

When would skill be a good substitute for craft?

The meanings of skill and craft largely overlap; however, skill stresses technical knowledge and proficiency.

the skill of a glassblower

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 craft
Noun
Without genuine cultural engagement, whether that’s getting deep into a music scene, developing a craft, exploring your city’s hidden corners, or even just reading books that challenge your perspective, style becomes pure performance. Jailynn Taylor, Essence, 8 July 2025 Opening July 6, Fragonard’s latest museum in Arles is the story of two dynasties united by friendship, a love for heirloom crafts and a knack for collecting. Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 28 June 2025
Verb
Mayors regularly change their initial budget proposals to craft a spending plan that has enough support from the commission to pass in September. Miami Herald, 11 July 2025 Don’t worry, this dishwasher-safe piece is still crafted from Bordallo’s signature durable earthenware. Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for craft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craft
Noun
  • Biographer Robin Givhan talks about how Virgil Abloh, the dynamic, game-changing subject of her latest work, broke barriers, changed paradigms, and reshaped the worlds of fashion and art, with a special nod to the role of Black music and themes of freedom and joy.
    Essence, Essence, 7 July 2025
  • Additionally, stoneware pans, especially bundt pans, double as pieces of art.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 6 July 2025
Noun
  • One four-person crew in a 24-foot open-bow MasterCraft grabbed their life jackets, wisely abandoned the boat and swam to shore.
    George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025
  • Meeting The Largest Dinosaur Over the next few days, the trip goes to the Peninsula Valdez for more whale viewing from the boat, observation of a colony of penguins and the beginning of the search for dinosaur fossils.
    Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • This deception couldn’t come at a worse time for America’s debt.
    Thomas Kahn, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
  • Unlike earlier studies that uncovered evasion or deception, this research exposed a more alarming phenomenon: models calculating that unethical behavior was a justifiable strategy for survival.
    Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • The chief specimen here (played by MMA fighter Chi Lewis-Parry) is a massive beast whose brute strength is matched by his cunning.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
  • On the other end of the spectrum was the more docile Kelly who often felt conflicted when her morals clashed with the cunning needed to succeed in the game.
    Nick Caruso, TVLine, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • Goodwill provides job seekers with free services like skills training, employment placement, career counseling at more than a dozen Career Solutions Centers.
    Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 7 July 2025
  • Majors that require quantitative and analytical skills, such as engineering, tend to lend the highest salaries within five years of graduation, according to data from the New York Fed.
    Natalie Wu, CNBC, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • Drink it in the sun to refresh while preparing, use it in your recipes to caramelize or sweeten and pair it to help your tongue handle when there’s a lot going on.
    Chelsea Davis, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • In The Old Guard 2, following on from the climax of the first film, Andy must come to terms with her newfound mortality while preparing to face a mysterious foe (played by Uma Thurman).
    Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The Nabataeans were an incredibly skilled trading tribe in the spice trade.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Waller is coming out of retirement to play for the Miami Dolphins, who made a trade with the New York Giants to get him in the building before training camp, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Three helicopters and a thermal drone had been involved in the search by air over the Bali Strait, while about 20 vessels and fishing boats were mobilized for the sea search, Suyatno said.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025
  • The entire vessel then caught fire and was burning for some time.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Craft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craft. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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