Definition of giftnext

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
Now, the Gates Foundation is stepping in to help fund scientific research through an historic $540 million gift to The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent research organization at the University of Washington. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026 Graza’s first Partnership Ads test ran around the New Year, built on gift giving and resolutions. Jamie Gutfreund, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
The gift, valued at more than $40 million, breaks the record for the largest surprise audience gifting in live entertainment history, according to a press release. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026 Peugeot is an icon of French dining, perfect for gifting or treating yourself with pieces that feel special and premium, yet practical. ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • Be careful of disaster donation scams Major disasters can also lead to fraudulent fundraising efforts.
    Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Collection centers for donations were established in Bogotá and Cali, the mayor said.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • These days it is seldom seen, with scouting resource and social media so prevalent, for the majority to be so unaware of the next young talent.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Brands from Louis Vuitton to Dior to Chanel boast a strong roster of K-pop brand ambassadors, and each fashion month, local talent comes out in force.
    Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Yet, now living in Los Angeles, I (and we) are blessed to have access to world-class mangoes, like those from Wong Farms.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But blessed with unusual wit and sensitivity, as well as a delightful young cast, the Amazon drama nevertheless stands out as something special.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After the late monarch stopped wearing the tiara, it was loaned to Diana in 1981 as a wedding present.
    Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026
  • And degraded plastic presents a worse environmental issue than muddy grass.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • It's filled with design-centric knick-knacks for your artsy friend.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Living by a maxim that equated failure with opportunity, Brees exhibited a knack for turning tribulation into triumph.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Seeing an old bulky PC with a PC-DOS command line OS takes those of us of a certain age back to the heady days when computers were exciting and new, even though they had not yet been endowed with the eerie cognitive powers of LLMs.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • But they’re endowed with a fundamentally different intelligence, one shaped by a separate evolutionary path and defined by a nervous system that’s distributed throughout their bodies rather than centralized like that of the brains of most animals.
    Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • Its arena can hold up to 3,600 fans and will host Pitt volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling, bringing those teams’ practices and competitions into a modern venue built for larger crowds, game-day presentation and recruiting.
    Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The commission meeting was also unusually well-attended — a common occurrence at many normally quieter meetings across the area in recent months — and included a presentation about the development from Brian Frank, the SMC chief engineer.
    Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After all, this golf pro and I – given my low golf aptitude at the time – would be spending a lot of time together.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Interrogations into rabbit vampirism aside, Bunnicula compelled me most because its narrator is a dog—one who, despite his aptitude for writing, cannot otherwise communicate with people.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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