All of Laptsev went to stare at the bride-to-be—she was no beauty, but everyone could see that she was clever, sophisticated …—Isaac Bashevis Singer, New Yorker, 29 Sept. 2003… the three of them may give Gray Davis, who was too clever for his own good, his comeuppance.—Garrison Keillor, Time, 25 Aug. 2003Some thought he had no redeeming value whatsoever. A sociopath. A clever manipulator …—Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2002Those who can't write poetry, write clever letters to the editor. Those who can't write clever letters to the editor, write angry letters to the editor.—Matt Groening, Utne Reader, November/December 1987The old lady was clever enough and he thought that if she had started from any of the right premises, more might have been expected of her.—Flannery O'Connor, Everything That Rises Must Converge, 1967
Some cats are clever enough to figure out how to operate doorknobs.
That's the cleverest idea I've heard yet!
She found a clever hiding place for the letter.
Recent Examples on the WebThe left wing used clever footwork on a dribble drive to create launch space.—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2024 Barring a clever trading strategy, Roaring Kitty might not have been a paper billionaire for long.—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2024 In a clever political play, the IRA, which was championed by progressives, has disproportionately benefited workers in politically conservative regions.—Daniel Baer, Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2024 Her appearance, of course, was outrageous, which made her sharp wit and clever returns unexpected and even more impactful.—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 4 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for clever
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clever.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English cliver, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish dialect kløver alert, skillful
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