Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

faculty

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of faculty

1 a natural ability of the mind or body

  • although they are well into their 80s, the mental faculties of this couple are as sharp as ever
Synonyms of faculty

power
Words Related to faculty

function

capability, capacity

aptitude, endowment, flair, genius, gift, instinct, knack, talent
Near Antonyms of faculty

inability, incapability, incapacity

inaptitude, inaptness, ineptness

2 a special and usually inborn ability

  • even when he was still at a young age, John Singleton Copleyʼs artistic faculties were readily recognizable
Synonyms of faculty

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

affinity, bias, disposition, habitude, 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, specialism, speciality, specialty
Near Antonyms of faculty

disability, handicap, inability, incapacity

shortcoming, weakness

3 the physical or mental power to do something

  • the belief that if someone loses their sight, all of their other physical faculties are heightened
Synonyms of faculty

ability, capability, capableness, capacity, competence, competency
Words Related to faculty

aptitude, aptness, endowment, equipment, facility, gift, knack, talent

address, adroitness, deftness, dexterity, hand, prowess, skill

gray matter, instinct, intelligence, ken, reason, understanding

might, potency, puissance, staying power, stuff

adequacy, effectiveness, effectualness, fitness, form, influence, resourcefulness, usefulness

means, resources, wherewithal
Near Antonyms of faculty

helplessness, impotence, paralysis, powerlessness, weakness

defectiveness, deficiency, inadequacy, inadequateness, ineffectiveness, ineffectuality, ineffectualness, inefficaciousness, inefficacy, uselessness

debilitation, disablement, impairment, incapacitation
Antonyms of faculty

disability, inability, incapability, incapableness, incapacity, incompetence, incompetency, ineptitude, ineptness

Synonym Discussion of faculty

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 faculty

  1. Dictionary: Definition of faculty Medical Dictionary: Definition of faculty Spanish Central: Translation of faculty Nglish: Translation of faculty for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of faculty for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about faculty

Seen and Heard

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

show comments hide comments

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