nifty
Americanadjective
-
niftier,
comparative
-
niftiest
superlative
-
attractively stylish or smart.
a nifty new dress for Easter.
-
very good; fine; excellent.
a nifty idea.
-
substantial; sizable.
We sold the car for a nifty profit.
noun
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nifties
plural
adjective
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pleasing, apt, or stylish
-
quick, agile
he's nifty on his feet
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of nifty
An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; of obscure origin
Explanation
Something that's nifty is really great. You might tell your mom that the Hawaiian themed decorations for your dad's surprise party look nifty. Nifty is informal and a little old fashioned, but it's a perfect way to compliment a cute outfit or express your excitement about your little sister's new roller skates. If a friend comments on your nifty tap dance routine, she thinks it's swell. Nifty has been around as a colloquial term for "stylish or smart" since the 1860s, possibly from theater slang.
Vocabulary lists containing nifty
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:
There’s no wonder or dread in this future — just the resigned acceptance that nothing is remarkable, despite all the nifty gadgets everyone has.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
But there’s a big difference between some nifty new AI inventory tracking and a real, bottom-line, game-changing shift.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
What they got was a cool response from John McGinn, not just super with the ball at his feet but also pretty nifty with a microphone in front of his face.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
Through methods like search engine optimization and other nifty page-ranking subterfuge, this nonverified content climbs to the top of search results and people’s consciousness.
From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2026
“It’s just not as simple as you’re making it out to be. I don’t think every gay person can be clearly defined and kept in a nifty little box, you know?”
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
Sometimes the nifties come a little too fast, and Judith is, for the most part, a tedious nuisance, in spite of the obvious care lavished upon her.
From Time Magazine Archive
This archetypal wisecrack is, after her heartfelt growl about the overmeticulous neighbor who waxes her driveway, probably the best known of Bombeck's nifties.
From Time Magazine Archive
Cue’s method involves electrochemistry and a niftier interface that’s basically a miniature PCR machine, produced at its large Southern California warehouse.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 25, 2021
About midway through the third period, Ovechkin had an even niftier assist to set up Tom Wilson for a goal that gave Washington a 3-2 lead.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 13, 2019
“He knows a lot, and he appreciates some of the niftier moves.”
From Washington Times ● Nov. 15, 2014
Saturday serial hero Captain Marvel had a niftier suit than the boxy ones Washington politicians wear.
From Slate ● May 16, 2011
“Never saw a niftier thing on the ball field,” responded McRae warmly.
From Baseball Joe Around the World Pitching on a Grand Tour by Lester Chadwick
Her niftiest fight sequence looks like abstract art: a stark black-and-white aerial pan of her shadow battling minions down a hallway.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2025
But Wind’s niftiest trick, honed over more than 20 years and thousands of private events, is his ability to eliminate any sense that he and his audience are locked in a contest.
From New York Times ● Oct. 20, 2022
The niftiest device that’s discounted today is Anker’s Powercore Fusion wall charger-meets-battery pack.
From The Verge ● Jul. 19, 2021
The niftiest catch Martellus Bennett made was the one that didn’t count.
From Chicago Tribune ● Sep. 16, 2013
The moment it becomes known that The Gray Phantom is in town, there will be the niftiest little man hunt you ever saw.
From The Gray Phantom by Herman Landon
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.
