knack

noun

ˈnak 

1

: a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach

2

a

: a clever trick or stratagem

b

: a clever way of doing something

3

archaic : an ingenious device

broadly : toy, knickknack

Synonyms

• artifice
• device
• dodge
• fetch
• flimflam
• gambit
• gimmick
• jig
• juggle
• play
• ploy
• ruse
• scheme
• shenanigan
• sleight
• stratagem
• trick
• wile

Choose the Right Synonym for knack

gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something.

gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

Examples of knack in a Sentence

She has a knack for telling interesting stories.

The jazz musician has an incredible knack for improvisation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Priya has a knack for pursuing the most creative research, and as a fellow astronomer, I am always inspired by her work. —Shep Doeleman, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024

It is made of 100 percent cotton for breathability and has deep front patch pockets for all your knick knacks. —Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2024

But on Suddenly Okay, the first of three EPs Rose will release this year, the songs reveal a knack for crafting mid-tempo, sensitive pop spiked with guitar, more in line with the catchy acoustic stylings of Shawn Mendes and Ed Sheeran. —Sarah Grant, SPIN, 10 Apr. 2024

Mister Clark, a redshirt freshman, has flashed this spring, showing a knack for the ball. —Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2024

And there was the main character, Mr. Barreto, a California transplant with a knack for wild conspiracy theories. —Matthew Haag, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

The trinkets and knick knacks are beautifully curated and, yes, many of them are brass animal collectibles. —Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2024

As Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian note, Peltz’s knack for pumping up a share price during a proxy battle has not historically increased a stock’s long-term value. —Diane Brady, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024

The couplets exemplify his greatest strengths in tandem: his slick diction and knack for stacking multi-syllabic rhymes together. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knak

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Kids Definition

knack

noun

ˈnak 

1

: a clever or skillful way of doing something : trick

2

: a natural ability : talent

has a knack for making friends