craft 1 of 2

Definition of craftnext
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

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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
And the craft Jim spent 50 years perfecting is now under existential threat. Carl Kurlander, Deadline, 13 June 2026 This is a brand obsessed with quality and craft, so much so that approaches perfection. Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
Neither overly sentimental nor unsympathetic, Albert and Allen Hughes craft realistic characters with more nuance and complexity than traditional gangster films. Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026 For some reason the Academy has never warmed to his enormously popular and exceptionally well-crafted lineup of shows the ways audiences do. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for craft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craft
Noun
  • Yet, contemporary arts practice is an archive rife with the experiential evidence of mother-ancestors’ experiences with dispossession.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • Julekha Dash is a Maryland journalist who covers food, travel, and art.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • And, in any case, many legal experts say the boat attacks amount to extrajudicial killings in violation of international law.
    Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
  • For surfing, Playa Cativo Lodge offers two half-day surf excursions to Matapalo and Pavones, which are both a short boat ride away.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • According to research from Charlemagne Labs, an AI-security startup, AI models already widely available can now sustain believable, multi-turn deception—conversations that span many back-and-forth exchanges rather than a single message—which is the hardest part of real-world scams.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 9 June 2026
  • That was a deliberate lie, deception and/or omission.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • For everyone else, including this freelance journalist without an expense account, the approach is more like a military-level obstacle course designed to test your cunning and will.
    Jada Yuan, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
  • The quality that drew Kurosawa to Yonezawa’s novel in the first place is not valor or cunning but something considerably less heroic.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Is his best skill dribbling, incisive passing or scoring with both feet?
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • This expansion helps workers gain new skills, such as becoming a certified nursing assistant or welder, through federal assistance for training programs lasting 8 to 15 weeks.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • While every ceremonial facilitator has their own unique way of preparing ayahuasca, most often two plants are brewed together (caapi vine and chacruna leaves) to create the highly powerful, transportive substance that can be used to treat physical and mental ailments.
    Michaela Trimble, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
  • Jolie’s design-forward space has pops of pink and mint green, a wraparound bar, and an open kitchen where the four-course tasting menu is prepared.
    Dyana Lederman, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • The international trade corridor remains open for transit.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 13 June 2026
  • Other trades were a little bit more favorable in their pre-release projections, forecasting an opening weekend take of anywhere between $35 million to $50 million.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Noun
  • Here, animals serve as vessels for our worst impulses, suffering at the point where curiosity turns to sadism, domination to cruelty, and self-interest to neglect.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
  • The Houthis made a similar threat during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and killed at least nine mariners and sank four ships in over 100 attacks, often targeting vessels with tangential or no ties to Israel.
    Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Craft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craft. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

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