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:
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
With a knack for lively storytelling, Peva shares that lore with more than 37,000 Instagram followers—who, alongside his signature boarding-school bow ties, have made the veteran broker an unlikely social-media influencer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Often duded up in a cowboy hat and suspenders, Eatherly had a knack for marketing and proved to be an exceptional conman.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
Refn’s cold, theoretical violence and Thatcher’s knack for affected, high-glamor drama are a match made in DayGlo heaven.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
“You’re a smart kid, Henry, with a real knack for science. You’re going to show those boys one day.”
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
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
Fifer and Brown are terrific in their heartfelt roles; appealing and relatable, with instinctive knacks for quiet expression and checked emotions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2021
“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
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.
