A natural or developed ability that lets someone perform a particular activity notably well.
Reach for it when recognizing a specific ability without claiming expert status or ignoring practice
Her talent for translating technical ideas made the safety lesson memorable.
| playful | |
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| everyday |
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| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
playful
Fits when an easy, practical ability suits informal praise
Careful Knack sounds slight and is poor language for a serious artistic or technical achievement.
everyday
ability
Fits when neutral capacity is all that can be established
Careful Ability may be ordinary, while talent usually marks performance above the usual level.
warm
Fits when stylish originality accompanies the ability
Careful Flair emphasizes expressive style and may overstate routine competence.
warm
Fits when exceptional aptitude should sound personal and celebratory
Careful Gift can erase the discipline and instruction behind the result.
professional
Fits when demonstrated command of a defined skill is meant
Careful Proficiency is learned competence and says nothing about unusual natural ease.
professional
Fits when training and repeatable execution deserve the credit
Careful Skill need not imply the unusual aptitude suggested by talent.
formal
Fits when potential to learn a field matters more than current mastery
Careful Aptitude predicts capacity but does not prove polished performance.
literary
bent
Fits when an enduring inclination toward a pursuit is the point
Careful Bent is dated and describes preference as much as ability.
literary
Fits when truly extraordinary creative power can be defended
Careful Genius is inflated for strong work and places an unfair label on the person.
natural talent
Natural talent gave her an early start, but disciplined practice shaped the performance.
creative talent
His creative talent turned discarded timber into useful classroom furniture.
develop talent
The program helps young musicians develop talent without rushing them onto a stage.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, California accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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