Synonyms for genius
Most common
ingenuity brain talent cleverness spirit demon wizard brilliance
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Ingenuity
ingenuity, brain, talent, cleverness, mastermind, intellect, wit, wonder, intellectual, mind, brains, ability, brain surgeon, einstein informal, efficiency, capacity, faculty, brainiac slang
2. Spirit — the tutelary deity or spirit of a place or person
spirit, demon, aptitude, nature, character, guardian angel, turn, characteristic, tutelary deity, bent, constitution, vein, disposition, spectre UK, specter US, aptness
3. Wizard
wizard, adept, wiz, whiz US, whizz UK, virtuoso, master, hot-shot, superstar, luminary, ace, star, champion, maven US, sensation
4. Brilliance
brilliance, inventiveness, flair, profundity, gift, endowment, parts
Other
wizardry, inspiration, rocket scientist informal, giftedness
Definitions
- n. 1
The tutelary deity or spirit of a place or person.
and the genius of the place: the growing enthusiasm for codified standards in the Army and Navy
- n. 2
Someone possessing extraordinary intelligence or skill; especially somebody who has demonstrated this by a creative or original work in science, music, art, etc.
She's a genius; she won a Nobel Prize at fifteen!
- n. 3
Extraordinary mental capacity.
- n. 4
Inspiration, a mental leap, an extraordinary creative process.
to add a dash of cinnamon amid such umami was pure genius
Related words
Forms
- Plural
- geniuses → ingenuities, brains, talents, clevernesses…
Choose the right word
Genius is exalted intellectual power capable of operating independently of tuition and training, and marked by an extraordinary faculty for original creation, invention, discovery, expression, etc.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- talent His success is not so much by talent as by effort.
- mastermind Sami was actually the mastermind behind the murder.
- ingenuity Gabriel survived using his ingenuity and determination.
- cleverness Granted his cleverness, he may still be mistaken.
- aptitude Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| genius | steady | |
| talent | rising | |
| mastermind | rising | |
| ingenuity | falling | |
| cleverness | rising | |
| aptitude | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- ace1, wit1, wiz1
- 4 letters
- mind1, turn1, star1, gift1, bent1, vein1, whiz1
- 5 letters
- parts1, brain1, demon2, flair1, adept2, maven2, whizz
- 6 letters
- nature2, wonder2, master2, spirit2, talent2, brains1, wizard2
- 7 letters
- ability4, faculty3, spectre2, specter2, aptness
- 8 letters
- capacity4, champion3, einstein2, aptitude3, virtuoso4, wizardry3, brainiac, luminary4
- 9 letters
- character3, sensation3, superstar3, intellect3, endowment3, ingenuity5
- 10 letters
- efficiency4, mastermind3, brilliance2, cleverness3, profundity, giftedness
- 11 letters
- inspiration4, disposition4
- 12 letters
- constitution4, intellectual5
- 13 letters
- inventiveness4
- 14 letters
- characteristic5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (demon2 = 2 syllables).