quick-witted

adjective

quick-wit·​ted ˈkwik-ˈwi-təd 

: quick in perception and understanding : mentally alert

quick-wittedly adverb

quick-wittedness noun

Synonyms of quick-witted

• intelligent
• clever
• smart
• quick
• fast
• brilliant
• sharp

Choose the Right Synonym for quick-witted

intelligent, clever, alert, quick-witted mean mentally keen or quick.

intelligent stresses success in coping with new situations and solving problems.

an intelligent person could assemble it fast

clever implies native ability or aptness and sometimes suggests a lack of more substantial qualities.

clever with words

alert stresses quickness in perceiving and understanding.

alert to new technology

quick-witted implies promptness in finding answers in debate or in devising expedients in moments of danger or challenge.

no match for his quick-witted opponent

Examples of quick-witted in a Sentence

the quick-witted child easily figured out the trick to making the toy work

Recent Examples on the Web

The congresswoman has had many viral moments on social media for her quick-witted comments. —Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 8 Dec. 2025

But their quick-witted mother, June (Mirren), orchestrates her decline on her own terms—with biting humor, blunt honesty, and a lot of love. —Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 30 Nov. 2025

Much like your mercurial nature, the Siamese is famously vocal, clever and always curious, mirroring your quick-witted and restless nature. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025

Yazid’s compendious memory included a remarkable store of cricket scores and batting averages and matches and catches and stumpings, all the minutiae that a quick-witted boy poring over the newspaper in a tea stall between customers might graze upon. —Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quick-witted

• acquitted
• admitted
• befitted
• committed
• emitted
• omitted
• outfitted
• outwitted
• permitted
• refitted
• remitted
• submitted

Kids Definition

quick-witted

adjective

quick-wit·​ted

ˈkwik-ˈwit-əd

: quick in thinking and understanding : mentally alert

quick-wittedness noun