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

But Margaret and Alice’s quick-witted machinations provide the basis for a merry outing at the theater. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

Estelle Harris played Estelle Costanza, the loud and quick-witted mom to George and wife to Frank, who was always full of hilarious one-liners. — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026

The Warriors remain hopeful that James may eventually choose to play for them, but in this particular instance, Kerr was just using his same quick-witted humor for this viral exchange. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Austrian privacy laws discourage journalists from asking probing questions, but a quick-witted reporter in Salzburg had retrieved years of Plamberger’s posts, presumably before lawyers could tell him to lock his accounts. — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

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