gift 1 of 2

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
Give the beauty fan on your list the gift of sleek hair this holiday season. Tim Chan, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025 All six cups have a gift tag where baristas can write a message to customers. Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Her hair and camp dress still had some of the special paint used to transform the 11-year-old girl into Changing Woman, the Apache deity who was the first woman of her people, gifted with spiritual and physical power during the Sunrise Dance, one of the Apache people’s most enduring ceremonies. Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025 With yet another ironclad prenup on our hands, Liberty tells Sheila that the $40 million in jewelry her husband gifted her over the years will be her meal ticket. Tom Smyth, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • Here’s a collection of organizations and aid groups accepting donations to fund emergency relief efforts in the Caribbean.
    Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
  • States, cities and food banks have been ramping up donations desperately trying to fill the gap.
    Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • With a new wave of talent, including Santiago Giménez, Edson Álvarez, and César Montes leading the charge, El Tri are blending youthful energy with experienced leadership.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • My father had two superpowers that saved him in the face of all those failures—his talent for telling stories and gardening.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • As long as the message hasn’t changed and people are still blessed and inspired, that’s all that matters.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Sands points to data showing that the world has gotten substantially better at finding people with TB since the World Health Organization blessed the AI technology in 2021 and released a toolkit on how to properly calibrate it to each local population and setting.
    NPR, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • While her annual lists always have great big-ticket presents (think the newest Apple AirPods and soft-to-the-touch loungewear), there are also plenty of affordable goodies to wrap up or gift as stocking stuffers.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Just days after kids around Minnesota were opening Halloween candy, the Minnesota Wild got an early holiday present on a Friday in the New York City suburbs.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Their knack for samples, melodies, and sculpting moments of bliss is intoxicating.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The firm also has a knack for knowing when to bring in new luxury retail tenants and remove those losing relevance.
    David Moin, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The solar system is far more richly endowed by resources than everyday experience might suggest.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Caroline Turco, a lawyer representing Portland, said during opening arguments that the evidence would show that the city does not need the National Guard, while the government contended that Congress endowed the president with vast latitude to decide when calling in the troops is warranted.
    Ella Lee, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Just as design needs a certain amount of efficiency, the evening’s remarks and the awards presentation were concise.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Both add an extra hint of crunch and flavor, while also taking the presentation to the next level.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • This aptitude for song and dance, combined with some friend-of-a-friend magic, was enough to get Taylor an audience with two people who would change her life.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Mount’s defensive aptitude proved important in keeping United compact throughout, regularly dropping into vacant spaces to slow down any nascent attacks.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gift

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