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

• ruse
• trick
• scheme
• device

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

Cans have existed for way longer than can openers have Here’s a perfect example of humanity’s knack for stumbling onto brilliant solutions without understanding them: In 1795, Napoleon offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could figure out how to preserve food for his army. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025

That is either an overwhelming endorsement of those men and this coaching staff’s knack for maximising their talents or, alternatively, a candid assessment of Villa’s transfer policy. —Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025

Fire signs are assertive, passionate and creative; Earth signs are dependable, stubborn and grounded; Air signs are curious intellectuals with a knack for socializing, and Water signs are known to tap into universal undercurrents, navigating emotions. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Advertisement Advertisement Highest 2 Lowest also continues Lee’s knack for nurturing new, emerging talent (both in film, like casting Teyonah Parris in 2015’s Chi-Raq, and in the classroom, like teaching the next generation of filmmakers at NYU). —Barry Levitt, Time, 15 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English knak

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for knack

• ack
• brack
• clack
• crack
• dak
• flack
• flak
• hack
• jack
• lac
• lack
• lak

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