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

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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 Finding the blessings among the challenges has long been a defining trait of Leake’s. — Tricia Despres, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 Numerous renowned and highly respected psychiatrists have provided evidence that the president does show signs of dementia, in conjunction with unmistakable traits consistent with malignant narcissism and antisocial personality disorder. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 Her flop of a debate performance left her sounding like someone with no vision or kindness — career suicide for someone who has made her reputation on both traits. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Those rights protect against the unauthorized commercial use of an athlete’s name, image, likeness, signature, voice, nickname and other commercially valuable traits. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trait
  1. characteristic
  2. feature
  3. attribute
  4. quality
  5. attribution
Noun
  • The long-term difference could be dramatic The researchers also fed the characteristics of each driving style into a battery-aging model to estimate longer-term capacity loss.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Organizations that successfully operationalize AI in supply chain environments tend to share several common characteristics.
    — George Ninikas, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of characteristic
Noun
  • At Sessions in April, Stripe announced 288 products and features, including streaming payments that pair Metronome's metering with stablecoin micropayments on Tempo.
    — Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Gifting bird's-eye views of London from 138 feet above the River Thames, this permanent feature debuted in 2014 as one of the most unique vantage points in the city.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of feature
Noun
  • This vector is defined by a list of coordinates, where each coordinate measures how much of a particular attribute that person has.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Speed, efficiency, and safety are among the most crucial attributes of canal transport.
    — Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of attribute
Noun
  • The resumption of Saudi exports could help ease tight supply of heavier grades that produce more residue fuel which ⁠can be used to refuel ships or processed further at refineries, to yield higher quality fuels such as gasoline and diesel.
    — August 18, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The Blue Jackets have continued to add highly competitive talents, with Oscar Hemming providing another quality top-six option on the wing.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of quality
Noun
  • No responsible analysis should claim that a single flood or drought was caused by climate change without attribution science.
    — Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • In two cases, the publishers added specific attributions, as had been required of Miller’s book.
    — Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of attribution

Browse Nearby Words

traipsing
trait
traitor
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Cite this Entry

“Trait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trait. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trait

Nglish: Translation of trait for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trait

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