gifted

The word “gifted” means having an unusually strong natural talent or ability, especially intellectual. In plain terms, naturally very talented, especially in a mental or academic sense.

“Gifted” is pronounced GIHF-tihd (/ˈɡɪftɪd/ in IPA).

Here is “gifted” used in a sentence: “She was placed in a gifted program at school.”

Words with a similar meaning to “gifted” include talented.

“Gifted” is an adjective.

“Gifted” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Both describe strong natural ability and are often paired together, as in "gifted and talented." "Gifted" tends to suggest exceptional ability that stands well above average, especially intellectual, while "talented" is broader and can describe skill in any single area, such as music or sport.

"Smart" describes general intelligence or quick thinking, while "gifted" implies an unusually strong, natural talent that goes beyond ordinary ability. Use "gifted" when you want to stress that the ability is exceptional and innate rather than simply above average.

"Gifted" often precedes words like child, student, writer, athlete, and musician. It also appears in fixed phrases such as "academically gifted" and "naturally gifted."