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
Bluhm’s gift honors the legacy of the museum’s outgoing director, Madeleine Grynstztejn, who established and headed the MCA’s Women Artists Initiative. — News Desk, Artforum, 8 Oct. 2026 The pop-up will feature the full collection, content from the campaign, sweets from Ritz Paris Le Comptoir and a gift with purchase for clients while supplies last. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
Working together with his nursing home and his family, the organization threw a surprise party for Wiggins, gifted him his most coveted baseball memorabilia, along with tickets to see the Atlanta Braves with his family. — Monique John, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 Roy packs up his stuff and finds that Ted has gifted him with one of Henry’s protective army men before leaving arm-in-arm with Keeley. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • The Treasury Department moved last week to automatically enroll tens of millions of children and greenlight donations of individual stocks as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent touts the accounts ahead of midterms.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Ballot measures are not subject to caps on campaign donations.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • After years of cruel dismissal from his grandfather, Kang Seung-woon (Jung Jin-young), and relentless pressure from his mother, Kang Ji-hye (Yoon Se-ah), Pi-o doubts his talent.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • There's a comedy club right next door for a night of hilarity with top-drawer talent and occasional special guests.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The team was blessed in absentia by Pope Leo XIV and routinely wanded by the wizard.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Human rights lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi facilitated the ceremony by reading the vows for the fathers to bless.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Jack leaves to deliver presents while Sally tries to rescue Santa on her own, becoming Oogie’s prisoner herself.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Remember, the holidays are approaching, and a scented candle makes a lovely present for just about any discerning coworker, the cousin who’s just moved, or your votive-loving mother-in-law.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The best moments on records like Redemption, Blackheart, and Second Line use her knack for grand, metaphysical metaphors to charge her singing with epic stakes.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Gen Z Wants to Go Ghost, Not Girlboss That said, the characters do have to be worth clipping, and love him or hate him, Ryan Murphy has always had a knack for creating fictional people who feel bigger than whatever nonsensical story spawned them.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • An essential state role, parallel to provisioning basic services like education and healthcare, is endowing a wide open aesthetic field of form and meaning and collective sensibility.
    — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Gorgoni shot his images in the snow, endowing Shift with a stark graphic identity devoid of human occupancy.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Yet despite their contrasting presentations, there is little to distinguish their strategies at this early stage.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The commission’s vote followed a presentation and discussion of an annexation feasibililty study by The Corradino Group of Miami.
    — Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Duke then entered the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where his aptitude for foreign languages was recognized with a prize.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Naturally, his work at Celine has now been put in conversation with hers, especially because both designers share an aptitude for creating clothes real people want to wear–and, therefore, many of the same fans.
    — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on gift

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster