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
Sort five years of tribute gifts by the person being honored, not the donor. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 The series backs up 25 years to a Connecticut farm where father Cyrus Trask (Tracy Letts), a peg-legged Civil War veteran, rejects Charles’ gift of a new knife in favor of Adam’s present of a stray puppy, creating a long trail of jealousy. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
As Charles and Cathy, the duo is gifted the show’s thorniest relationship. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 29 Sep. 2026 His wish to gift an original song to Los Tigres del Norte inspires the journey. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • Rooted within the company’s culture, Pink Pony brings together employees through volunteering and fundraising, and customers who give through their purchases and donations to support this central cause.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Vander Veen’s contributions included donations from the Folsom Area Democratic Club and JFK Democratic Club, as well as dozens of individual donors.
    — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Her session will examine the commercial and strategic considerations involved in taking creative and technology-led projects from development to market, alongside the evolving relationship between talent, technology and business.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
  • And talent with a liberal arts education—reading- and writing-heavy disciplines spanning humanities, natural sciences, sociology, and the arts—will have the most well-rounded skill set to thrive.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • No sooner than the broadcast of the Braves’ Wild Card Series game began Tuesday, showing pockets of empty seats at Truist Park, the social-media geniuses blessed us with their bouquets of wisdom.
    — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Fashion designer Simon Port Jacquemus listed it among his favorite addresses in Vogue, and French street artist Invader unofficially blessed the building with one of his trademark mosaics.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The series backs up 25 years to a Connecticut farm where father Cyrus Trask (Tracy Letts), a peg-legged Civil War veteran, rejects Charles’ gift of a new knife in favor of Adam’s present of a stray puppy, creating a long trail of jealousy.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The lines between Iñárritu’s fiction and our demented present are clearly blurring.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Tony Romo carved out new terrain at CBS Sports after revealing a knack for predicting game play — all but forcing CBS to re-sign the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback to a multi-season pact in 2020 valued at around $17 million a year.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • As demonstrated in Hijack and Lupin, Kay has a special knack for elevating standard-issue thriller material into giddily addicting TV with his above-average command of storytelling basics.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Gorgoni shot his images in the snow, endowing Shift with a stark graphic identity devoid of human occupancy.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Some Fascists admired Japan’s use of Shinto shrines and ritual to endow its militaristic nationalism with spiritual power.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 22 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Bella chews him out for punching Angus in the face right before Angus’s big presentation, which Johnny knew about because they were supposed to throw a return supper for him, a dinner Johnny was supposed to cook.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Consumer habits also proved more stubbornly set than PowerPoint presentations had suggested.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But their aptitude and affection for the sport would be passed down through two different families in two different states, from one generation to the next, before reaching Luke and his brothers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Training can improve technique and consistency, but leaders should also be honest about the role of natural aptitude.
    — Matthew Darienzo, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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