noun
-
a skilful, ingenious, or resourceful way of doing something
-
a particular talent or aptitude, esp an intuitive one
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of knack
1325–75; Middle English: trick; perhaps same word as knak sharp-sounding blow, rap, cracking noise (imitative)
Explanation
If you have a knack for doing something, you do it well. You may have a knack for baking cakes or a knack for cracking jokes. These things come easy to you. Although the noun knack refers to a special talent, the sense is that it is a more innate talent — as opposed to a certain technique. So if someone instinctively has a talent for fixing plumbing, for example, you can say they have a knack for it. If, however, they unclog a sink by having a wrench in one hand and a how-to book in the other, then they may have the technique, but they probably don't have the knack.
Vocabulary lists containing knack
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Girl Who Drank the Moon
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Just Mercy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The move would cap a career built on a knack for dealmaking and forging relationships that has benefited the firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
With all their motions and misdirections, the Chargers are developing a knack for making simple situations look dauntingly complex.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Pat’s knack for analyzing the tics of others does prove a useful tool.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Although he established himself with futuristic films like “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” he showed a knack for emotional drama with 1991’s “Thelma & Louise” and for historical epics like 2000’s “Gladiator.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Dad had a knack for setting up publicity pictures that tied in with his motion-study projects.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
While there's nothing wrong with a little decluttering, you don't have to shed your quirky knick knacks if you don't want to.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2022
“Just the little knicks and knacks that Kyle brought to me, that’s when I learned the most,” Oliver said.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 22, 2019
And those shops and restaurants won’t be selling typical theme-park knick knacks or carnival cuisine.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2019
I’m just a fan of knick knacks and it’s a cool little music man robot.
From The Verge ● May 18, 2018
The furniture and knick- knacks that came with the house were on display.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
