Meaning & use

aptitude

noun·Academic

A natural ability or talent for learning or doing a particular kind of task well.

See it in a sentence

His aptitude for numbers made calculus feel effortless compared with his other subjects.

The test measures a candidate's aptitude for mechanical reasoning rather than existing knowledge.

A note on using this word

Aptitude describes potential ability, while skill describes ability already developed through practice; the two are often confused.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “aptitude”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.