gift 1 of 2

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
There are upwards of 30 galleries in town, interspersed among the quintessential gift boutiques, fudge shops, and lobster shacks. Amy Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026 Homemade buttermilk biscuits are indeed a gift of love—and time. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 12 May 2026
Verb
Fisher had divorced Reynolds and gifted Taylor a 40-carat engagement bracelet instead of a ring. Jessica Booth, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026 Lima gifted her the latter two items and assembled all three trinkets in a line to hang from the original pin. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • That kind of spending has no cap — unlike donations directly to a campaign, which are capped at $1,000 per election.
    Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 8 May 2026
  • The ingredients for family meals are from the previous day’s Meals with Meaning donation boxes.
    Ella Gonzales May 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • With fashion spending projected to rise sharply, global buyers see Saudi designers not only as creative talents, but as commercial partners with access to a large, affluent consumer base.
    FMG Studios, Footwear News, 10 May 2026
  • Aretha has always represented for me the empowerment of women in all its facets, a soul singer who has influenced generations and whose talent continues to move us to our very core.
    Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • The county plan, meanwhile, has been blessed at different times by other city boards, including the historic preservation board, the urban design review board and the City Commission, sometimes after initial denials were overturned by courts.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
  • May God bless Joe (Doug's son) and his whole family.
    Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Yet, even as its population has contracted, the problem Rikers presents has grown.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
  • All of Amadeus’s contemporaneous stylistic and dialogue choices are a blast, but the series’ suggestion that this kind of guy is plaguing our present, too, feels the most timeless, and the most unsettling.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Reid has a knack for killing opposing breakaways and retrieving loose pucks, which makes up for not being the most physical defenseman at 6-foot-2, 187 pounds.
    Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
  • One of Knudson-Freeman’s many knacks was research and development, according to Freeman, saying his mother always wanted the food chain’s menu to be craveable.
    Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • The principal donation will go towards endowing the Met’s long-standing internships for undergraduate and graduate students in perpetuity.
    News Desk, Artforum, 4 May 2026
  • Political messianism is a style of leadership that places great faith in a single leader who is endowed with godlike attributes.
    Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • According to the presentation, the recommendation was based on the school’s geographic identity, regional recognition, the mascot’s adaptability and age-appropriate appeal, positive stakeholder feedback and long-term branding considerations.
    Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
  • As part of the presentation, BYD also staged a high-stress safety demonstration in which four battery cells were deliberately short-circuited.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • If the team stays bought in and the coach shows an early aptitude for resolving conflicts, change can be a good thing.
    Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 4 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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