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
Bradley's donation, completed in 1975 when the new Kahler addition was opened, of nearly 400 20th-century artworks is a gift that keeps giving. Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025 As for the gifts, the spokesperson confirmed their existence. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
Capricorns also have a classic sense of style, so gifting them staple pieces, such as a pendant necklace or a pair of timeless denim, is also a good choice. Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2025 Let’s be real—gifting for friends is hard work. Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • But the poultry came from a donation that hardly made up for the 74,000 pounds of chicken that never arrived in June.
    ProPublica, ProPublica, 3 Oct. 2025
  • But meeting minutes from October of last year obtained by the Herald/Times showed a $10 million donation from an unknown source.
    Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In all of these places, the broad availability of talent—whether as founders, knowledge workers, or highly skilled blue-collar workers—is viewed as one core element of the corporate ecosystem’s success.
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • In conversation, Blunt’s admiration for Johnson is clear, and so is her interest in making sure other people recognize his talents and capabilities.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • God blessed me with 7 beautiful children—3 sons and 4 daughters.
    Lauren del Valle, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
  • On Thursday, Aryatara will bless the president and supporters.
    Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • For another, there’s the DESI data, our best large-scale structure data at present, which seems to slightly favor the presence of evolving (and, in particular, decaying or weakening) dark energy.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Holding a bottle of wine and an armful of kiddie presents.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That's not the end of her offensive output, though, as her knack for getting to the rim makes her one of the most dangerous drive-and-kick playmakers in the league.
    Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Schiffmann has always had a knack for spectacle.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing met in Moscow in May to discuss cooperation, endowing the junta with an air of global legitimacy.
    Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025
  • This week Vilnius City Council has just greenlit the launch of the the first city fund in the country, the Vilnius Film Fund, endowed with a €100,000 ($116,700) budget.
    Annika Pham, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That includes research presentations on hip-hop, identity and activism, interactive workshops in education and creative practice, and a freestyle dance battle.
    Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The digital reproduction of the color and contrast in the IMAX 70mm and VistaVision prints was extremely impressive, providing a pretty acceptable facsimile of VistaVision’s grain while being a little less soft than the IMAX 70mm presentation.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Cootes also has demonstrated some solid aptitude in the faceoff circle.
    Thomas Drance, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Her aptitude was unavoidable at the Fendi show, where top models holding desirable handbags, styled with joyful knits, eye-catching dresses and sporty separates, strutted past guests, including actors Hilary Duff, Naomi Watts and Bang Chan of the South Korean boy band Stray Kids.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gift

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