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
The Qatari royal family's donation of the luxury jet valued at approximately $400 million, an unprecedented foreign gift, raised questions from some lawmakers and ethics experts. Emily Chang, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 The gift bag comes inside a Dagne Dover weekender stuffed with goodies including Marriott Gold status. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 6 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
  • Lê Shackelford said the revenue generated at the store goes back to the vendors or helps fund the nonprofit’s efforts, which could not rely solely on grants and donations.
    Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Partners relied on federal, state, county and city funding and grants and sought private donations in an effort spearheaded by First 5 Solano.
    Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Shawn Vanderhoven is a partner at The Wiseman Group, a thought leadership and consulting firm working with many of the biggest and brightest companies in the S&P and focusing on developing a leader's ability to fully utilize their people’s talent.
    Big Think, Big Think, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The community came together Wednesday to wish the young talent good luck at a send-off celebration and pizza party.
    Allen Devlin, CBS News, 6 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
  • Local Color founder and Executive Director Erin Salazar will be honored alongside Adams with the History Maker award, which is given to an individual who is actively involved in charting San Jose’s present and future.
    Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • By trading Burakovsky, signing Roman Kantserov, re-signing Connor Bedard, acquiring Bowen Bryam and Jordan Greenway, and signing Patrick Kane, Ian Cole and Cole Smith, the Blackhawks altered their present and future.
    Scott Powers, New York Times, 4 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
  • The hearing will also feature presentations from representatives of insurance companies.
    Jenna Carlesso, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The best part of the competition is taking a deep dive into a specific topic, Wadkins said, and also listening to the other students’ presentations to learn more about a specific time or person in history.
    Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Mox shoved Rick Knox, who still didn’t have the guts or aptitude to call for a disqualification.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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