trait

noun

ˈtrāt How to pronounce trait (audio)
Definition of traitnext
as in characteristic
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind honesty is one of her defining traits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 trait Meanwhile, some of the traits learned in tackling very difficult mathematical problems—such as persistence—may increase safety risks. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026 Mike Elko defenses have always been aggressive and physical, and the Aggies have similar traits this year. — Pj Green october 6, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026 Those traits belong to human writers with souls that won’t flourish when left unattended. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026 Some of the very traits that Brooks attributed to Wagner — first in the building, never missing practice, great leader — have now been used to describe the Dolphins linebacker himself. — Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trait
  1. characteristic
  2. feature
  3. attribute
  4. quality
  5. attribution
Noun
  • Those characteristics can be particularly relevant to fashion distribution, where seasonal peaks, promotional periods and e-commerce demand can put intense pressure on fulfillment operations.
    — Josh McMorrow, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Balls put in play with those characteristics are hits 84% of the time, per the league's Statcast page.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of characteristic
Noun
  • The low-budget feature will mark Just’s directorial debut, and be the second in the new Dogma25 slate of ambitious arthouse features from producer Zentropa.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Produced by Emilie Lesclaux and Film at Lincoln Center, it was shot during the 2025 New York Film Festival, where the two directors were presenting their latest features, and grew out of conversations between them.
    — Lise Pedersen, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of feature
Noun
  • Within premium products, there is a focus on longevity attributes in skin care and elegant, sophisticated makeup products among mature middle-class consumers.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The study also found that daughters’ caregiving more responsive than sons’ to their own and their parents’ attributes.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of attribute
Noun
  • Twenty years later, the Chicks are marking the anniversary of Taking the Long Way with a modest tour and equally modest deluxe reissue, featuring a handful of demos and outtakes of mixed quality.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The new wave of London clubs always had a very urban quality, but inevitably, as their members matured, so did their needs.
    — Mark Cecil, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of quality
Noun
  • The allegations remain contested, with questions about attribution and the involvement of third-party intermediaries unresolved.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike ordinary reporting tools, this platform also tracks actual financial results by providing revenue attribution at the SKU level to show which products consumers discover and purchase through the use of AI assistants.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of attribution

Browse Nearby Words

traipsing
trait
traitor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trait. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on trait

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trait

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All