1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a shrewd used car dealer who knew how to make the best possible deal shrewd investments that paid off big
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2
as in bitter
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
she pulled her coat tighter against the shrewd breeze whipping down the alley
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3
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a shrewd operator in the real estate game, she made every buyer think they were getting the deal of the century
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Recent Examples of shrewd
Don't miss these So many of the 2025 Milwaukee Brewers were acquired in shrewd trades.
—
Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Financially shrewd and willing to nurture the talent of chaotic young personalities, Boone spearheaded the next decade’s revival and was integral in fine art’s transformation into a true commodity.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Parallel to this moment, Freddy Sodawallah (Manish Chaudhari), the seasoned and shrewd Bollywood producer who has been managing Aasmaan’s early career, and Jaraj Saxena (Rajat Bedi), a fading actor desperate for a comeback, investigate the truth on their own.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
But a lot of this rebranding is the direct result of James Daunt’s (formerly of Daunt Books) shrewd PR work.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Financially shrewd and willing to nurture the talent of chaotic young personalities, Boone spearheaded the next decade’s revival and was integral in fine art’s transformation into a true commodity.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Parallel to this moment, Freddy Sodawallah (Manish Chaudhari), the seasoned and shrewd Bollywood producer who has been managing Aasmaan’s early career, and Jaraj Saxena (Rajat Bedi), a fading actor desperate for a comeback, investigate the truth on their own.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
But a lot of this rebranding is the direct result of James Daunt’s (formerly of Daunt Books) shrewd PR work.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrewd
Adjective
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Most successful forgers were smart and creative people, and many of their forgeries were consummate, even ingenious.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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What to know about the 'smart wall' at the Arizona border.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As crews work to clear out debris and get supplies to the remote region, they’ll be forced in a few short weeks to contend with Alaska’s bitter winter weather, including cold temperatures and potentially icy conditions.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
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Echinacea tea has an earthy, slightly bitter, herbal flavor.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But when a famous author sneaks into town and a body is found in his penthouse apartment, cunning fox investigator Vera Vixen must piece together what happened.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
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Norris portrays the cunning and relentless Chief Dennison, with Tripp as Liz Bradley, a border patrol agent with a true-north moral compass, in her first major film role.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Both coaches also say the other is very astute as far as in-game adjustments, and the players certainly agree.—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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The odd, sometimes astute connections and ideas her seemingly new brain forms are not entirely unpleasant.—
Bekah Waalkes,
The Atlantic,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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His positioning and reading of the game remain sharp, his footwork is clean, and his reactions are quick.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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From the 1960s through the 2000s, no one skewered a crowd with sharper affection.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Labubu craze doesn’t seem to be dying down any time soon, as new, mainstream, and rare editions are all in high demand, and fans often look for clothing and event advent calendars to accompany their cute yet scary figurines.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
16 Oct. 2025
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The girls want to be cute, too.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Bachelor Nation host Jesse Palmer step into the same role for this show as each design-savvy contestant puts their renovation skills to the test across six episodes.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
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Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But usually the administration official doesn’t fight back in such a biting way.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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Over nearly three decades, Baumbach has built a career chronicling families in crisis and artists at the crossroads, his films combining biting wit with an unflinching emotional honesty.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrewd. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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