1
as in wizard
a very smart person
the 16-year-old college graduate was considered to be a genius
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in talent
a special and usually inborn ability
had a genius for remembering long strings of numbers had a genius for saying the wrong thing, no matter what the social situation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aptitude
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
a genius for gambling over his head
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4
as in self
the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others
putting the needs of the individual before those of society is alien to the genius of the Japanese people
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5
as in manifestation
a visible representation of something abstract (as a quality)
the giant tortoise would seem to be the very genius of the unfathomable ancientness that one associates with the Galápagos Islands
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of genius
Didion’s genius was to show that the mystery of the psyche is integral to the mysteries of politics and history.
—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
1 July 2026
Perhaps the homeliest dish is Karlsson’s ‘genius’ oatmeal porridge.
—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Introduced by Ice Cube, a video montage narrated by Wyclef Jean highlighted the genius of the Grammy winner, showcasing her decades of achievement.
—
Demicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
29 June 2026
For composer and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Christopher Crenshaw, that collective spirit is the music’s genius.
—
Abraham Swee,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for genius
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
1 July 2026
Perhaps the homeliest dish is Karlsson’s ‘genius’ oatmeal porridge.
—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Introduced by Ice Cube, a video montage narrated by Wyclef Jean highlighted the genius of the Grammy winner, showcasing her decades of achievement.
—
Demicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
29 June 2026
For composer and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Christopher Crenshaw, that collective spirit is the music’s genius.
—
Abraham Swee,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for genius
Recent Examples of Synonyms for genius
Noun
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After climbing the Azkaban Escape Tower to the top, repel-style, young wizards-in-training, Clark and Emily Friscia, were ready to go home.
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And two other high-flying AI wizards — Anthropic and OpenAI — are working on their own mega offerings.
Noun
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The Clippers acquired George because of his All-Star two-way talent and because Leonard’s arrival hinged on George’s presence.
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In any business, the rise of fame and talent comes with rabid fans who may sometimes cross the line.
Noun
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King contrasted the country’s technological expertise with its moral aptitude.
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But his energy and aptitude on the boards looked to be in midseason form.
Noun
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Herlop will self-release her follow-up to 2023’s Nekkuja on October 9.
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Audiologists generally recommend self-fitting over preset for that reason.
Noun
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Your question is a manifestation of handwringing, and so, yeah, a lot of people don’t pay attention to it, and that’s okay, and a lot of people do, and that’s better.
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Meta’s compute business is also the latest manifestation of the circular economy in the AI race, like SpaceX’s recent decision to rent out data center space to Anthropic.
Noun
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His ebullience, keen intellect and warmth jump off the pages.
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Recognizing her extraordinary intellect, the Wheatley family educated her, and by age 20 her poetry had earned publication in London.
Noun
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Philadelphia's mayor at the time, Frank Rizzo, was a brash and brutal populist with a knack for fear-mongering that would make America's current president envious.
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The rookie is an instinctive playmaker who has a knack for creating turnovers.
Noun
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But none of that has happened, and Hamas rejected a new disarmament proposal in March that would force it to give up its tunnel network as well as rockets, heavy munitions, explosive devices and assault rifles before any Israel withdrawal.
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This one from Amazon is only $36 and can keep your devices charged for up to one week on a single charge.
Cite this Entry
“Genius.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genius. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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