knack

noun

ˈnak How to pronounce knack (audio)
Definition of knacknext
1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end tried every knack I knew to get him to spill the beans

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in talent
a special and usually inborn ability a jazz musician with an incredible knack for improvisation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun knack differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of knack are aptitude, bent, faculty, genius, gift, and talent. While all these words mean "a special ability for doing something," knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

When can aptitude be used instead of knack?

While in some cases nearly identical to knack, 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 knack?

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 knack?

In some situations, the words faculty and knack 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

In what contexts can genius take the place of knack?

Although the words genius and knack have much in common, genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

When is it sensible to use gift instead of knack?

The synonyms gift and knack are sometimes interchangeable, but gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

When could talent be used to replace knack?

The words talent and knack can be used in similar contexts, 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 knack Dior has a knack for creating beauty products with explosive popularity. —Claire Sullivan, Footwear News, 22 May 2025 But Smith, now 20, has a knack for showing up and lighting leagues on fire, having done it back home for North Toronto Nitros in 2022 and then in Portugal. —The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 20 May 2025 Louis Prevost recalled that his brother had a knack for diplomacy, even as a child. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025 Witt has a knack for making difficult plays look routine. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for knack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knack
  1. ruse
  2. talent
  3. trick
  4. aptitude
  5. scheme
  6. flair
  7. device
  8. gift
Noun
  • The Republicans’ billionaire populism has always been a ruse.
    — Jim Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025
  • When Jonny and Dan were alone at camp, the two friends revealed that the entire story was a ruse!
    — Nick Caruso, TVLine, 30 May 2025
Definition of ruse
Noun
  • There was a concern Forest would have to cash in on either Morgan Gibbs-White or Murillo — the Brazilian who retains the unusual talent, for a defender, of being truly exciting to watch — to keep themselves out of PSR trouble.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • Pittsburgh has the talent on the roster to win at a high level with a star quarterback under center.
    — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Definition of talent
Noun
  • However, there is a trick for using both of these operations together.
    — Paul Smith-Goodson, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Or is that all part of a deeper trick, a wilder swing?
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 June 2025
Definition of trick
Noun
  • But there must be a method, some sort of expertise and aptitude for the assignment.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 June 2025
  • Nancy shared a sweet story about an interaction with the late Eddie Van Halen that involved an acoustic guitar, a hotel landline and the guitarist’s musical aptitude.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 June 2025
Definition of aptitude
Noun
  • At the end of February, a pedestrian was hit in West London by an ebike rider in West London — not a rental or sharing scheme, to be clear — and died after a month in hospital.
    — Nicole Kobie, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Though details of how the gambling operation functioned have not been released, HSI Tampa said in its post the scheme generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds.
    — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
Definition of scheme
Noun
  • MrBeast commands YouTube with a flair for the outrageous.
    — Jon Stojan, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
  • Burrow range 2-piece sofa Burrow index desk Oka Founded in the UK by three friends, interiors brand OKA is bringing a bit of British flair to customers around the world.
    — Erika Owen, Vogue, 6 June 2025
Definition of flair
Noun
  • And those devices, unsurprisingly, will largely run on AI.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 8 June 2025
  • The assailant, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, reportedly in the U.S. illegally, used homemade Molotov cocktails and a flamethrower-like device to target peaceful marchers.
    — Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 8 June 2025
Definition of device
Noun
  • Beni truly is a gift from God that my old man sitting up there in Heaven Sent.
    — Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
  • Some people may end up getting stuck maintaining an AI ghost if it's left behind as a gift, and ethicists suggested that the emotional weight of that could also eventually take a negative toll.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2025
Definition of gift

Browse Nearby Words

klutzy
knack
knackered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Knack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knack. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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