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

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
Tiles and cards are necessary purchases for play, but punny cocktail napkins for game night, or keychains to signal your interest, or host gifts, are in demand too. Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 10 Mar. 2026 Before pulling all of the items out, Mayor Terry Vorderer reminded everyone of the purpose of the time capsule, calling it a gift of being reminded of what the village once was. Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
Blackwood gifted a goal to Justin Hryckowian and Dallas took a 3-1 lead. Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2026 Every once in a blue moon, a human being arrives on Earth as a freak accident of genetic alchemy, gifted with bone structure, height, and the uncanny positioning of features that registers to other humans as beauty. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gift
Noun
  • However, the document later says that the fundraising figures also includes large donations that campaigns are required to immediately report.
    Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Your support through a tax-deductible donation or low-cost subscription is vital to our ability to deliver credible, relevant, unique coverage of our community.
    Brett Vito Mar 13, Dallas Morning News, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But the Knicks’ talent — and size — advantage was simply too much to overcome down the stretch.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
  • The amount of talent on the field at the same time was, indeed, surreal.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • And yes, because we are blessed with famous weather, whole neighborhoods and districts can risk spilling out into the sidewalks, where laughs get louder, music gets blasted and the street fashion becomes a runway.
    Elisa Wouk Almino Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Of Course Jennifer Tilly Has Seen a Ghost Jennifer Tilly is blessed with an abundance of lore.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The result was a reunion that finally provided (mostly) satisfying questions and answers about participants’ pasts and presents instead of dancing around topics.
    Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • All of them have marked birthdays inside the facility in the nine months since, but there were no cakes or presents.
    Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • People flock to the Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient for the homey takes on traditional Vietnamese food — especially the pho and the bánh xèo — but come back time and time again for owner Dan Nguyen and her special knack for treating everyone like family.
    Timothy DePeugh, Charlotte Observer, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Grace may have all that handled, but Rocky has a real knack for finding new ways to solve problems, and these two are about to have a lot of problems to solve.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The winner will receive £30,000, anonymously endowed, along with a statuette known as the ‘Bessie’, created and donated by the late artist Grizel Niven.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
  • As public funding for higher education has eroded, universities have increasingly turned to wealthy donors to underwrite major projects and supplement budgets by endowing professorships and research centers.
    Yana van der Meulen Rodgers, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Labelhood, the influential incubator platform supporting emerging designers, will again host a series of presentations.
    Yiling Pan, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
  • They can be used in place of dill leaves or in combination with them for an attractive presentation.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • What Godoy does have a great aptitude for, however, is video games.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
  • But the biggest piece of that, beyond the ownership’s aptitude to do it, is the stadium project.
    Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gift. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.

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