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
Hubs Virginia Peanuts Sedley, Virginia Before mail-order gourmet gifts were commonplace, there were Dot Hubbard’s peanuts. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 23 July 2026 Another reason for sibling gifts is trying to make the brother or sister feel included in the celebration, says Lisa Grant, EdD, vice president of education at KinderCare Learning Companies. Melissa Willets, Parents, 23 July 2026
Verb
A couple of years ago, Xavi gifted the rest of his family necklaces that contained a photo of John for Christmas. Jay Harris, New York Times, 22 July 2026 The survey found 51% of gift-givers used group gifting in 2026, a 287% increase from 2024. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • The little church launched a big capital campaign and donations started pouring in locally and from places as far away as Australia, Rozelle said.
    Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Supporters can add a cash donation to the campaign at checkout, but that money is likely not going to Ossoff’s campaign.
    Sophia Eppley, AJC.com, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Avoiding represented talent or hindering communication only exacerbates the issue.
    Chris Ryan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • That would allow the Cowboys to go out and sign free agents in a pool of available talent that does still have solid players.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • The deal was blessed by the Justice Department in June (reportedly over the objections of staffers who were reviewing it).
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 23 July 2026
  • Was blessed to live in Denver for all of those Red Wings-Avs playoff matchups.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • The artist duo Motus created the murals in each room to depict the connection between Kabutocho's history and its present, with palettes ranging from spring green to lake blue.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026
  • Signs of a bright future and the reality of a dismal present are both in equal play as the Fins open camp on this strangest of seasons.
    Greg Cote July 27, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
Noun
  • Trainer has a knack for pulling off upsets, but this is a tall task.
    Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Veteran actor Ed Harris has a knack for commanding juicy roles.
    Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 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
  • Missouri residents can access informational presentations about Benton’s life work for free.
    Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • One of the most intriguing parts of the evening involved the correspondents’ association’s annual journalism awards presentation.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Valeri, who began playing at age 4 in his Buenos Aires suburb, said the futbol passion and aptitude run deep in a country where community pride infuses youth-club rivalries and street soccer prevails in many neighborhoods.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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