Knack — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈnak/

Meaning & Definition of Knack

Knack (noun)

  1. a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach
  2. a clever trick or stratagem
  3. a clever way of doing something

Knack (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end

    "tried every knack I knew to get him to spill the beans"

    similar: artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick, jig, juggle, play, ploy, ruse, scheme, shenanigan, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, sleight of hand
    related: bluff, end run, feint, cheating, chicanery, cozenage, craft, crookery, cunning, deception, dupery, duplicity, fakery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery, subterfuge, swindling, trickery, fraud, gaff, hoax, sham, swindle, blind, front, smoke screen

  2. a special and usually inborn ability

    "a jazz musician with an incredible knack for improvisation"

    similar: aptitude, bent, endowment, faculty, flair, genius, gift, head, talent
    related: affinity, bias, disposition, habitude, impulse, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn, ear, eye, mind, nose, feel, hang, instinct, touch, way, capability, competence, facility, proficiency, skill, capacity, potential, power, forte, specialism, speciality, specialty
    near: disability, handicap, inability, incapacity, shortcoming, weakness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Knack

The most common words with a similar meaning to Knack:

artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick, jig, juggle, play, ploy, ruse, scheme, shenanigan, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, aptitude, bent, endowment, faculty, flair, genius, gift, head, talent, sleight of hand

Related Words for Knack

bluff, end run, feint, cheating, chicanery, cozenage, craft, crookery, cunning, deception, dupery, duplicity, fakery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery, subterfuge, swindling, trickery, fraud, gaff, hoax, sham, swindle, blind, front, smoke screen, affinity, bias, disposition

Near Antonyms of Knack

disability, handicap, inability, incapacity, shortcoming, weakness

Origin & Etymology of Knack

Middle English knak

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Knack

What does "Knack" mean?

"Knack" means a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach. As a noun, it is defined as: a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Knack"?

Other words for "Knack" include artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick and jig. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Knack" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Knack"?

There are 91 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Knack". Common alternatives include artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick, jig, juggle and play.

How do you use "Knack" in a sentence?

Examples of "Knack" in a sentence: "tried every knack I knew to get him to spill the beans"; "a jazz musician with an incredible knack for improvisation".

Is "Knack" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Knack" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Knack"?

"Knack" is pronounced /ˈnak/.

What is the origin of the word "Knack"?

"Knack" comes from Middle English knak. First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Knack" meaning "a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end"?

When "Knack" (noun) means a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end, synonyms include artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam and gambit.