canny

1 of 2

adjective

can·​ny ˈka-nē How to pronounce canny (audio)
cannier; canniest
1
: clever, shrewd
a canny lawyer
also : prudent
canny investments
2
chiefly Scotland
a
b
: quiet, snug
then canny, in some cozy place, they close the dayRobert Burns
cannily adverb
canniness noun

canny

2 of 2

adverb

Scotland
: in a canny manner : carefully

Examples of canny in a Sentence

Adjective a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents warm and canny under the woolen bedcovers, we didn't mind the chilly Scottish nights
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Whether through canny critique or open wist, shows about making out-of-fashion things can offer us space to predict, resist, and elegize our way through a dark and muddy cultural moment. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025 The film’s portrayal of Kafka as a misunderstood genius stymied by bourgeois capitalist priorities is sympathetic but hardly radical, while its engagement with his actual work is limited, give or take some canny quotation in Marek Epstein’s script. Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025 Veltman is canny and dependable. Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 Fahy’s expert balancing of sweet and canny, world-weary and naïve in the role earned her an Emmy nomination in Supporting Actress and a massive following. Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for canny

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

originally Scots & regional northern English, going back to early Scots, "free from risk, sagacious, prudent, cautious," probably from can "ability" (noun derivative of can can entry 1) + -y -y entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of canny was in 1596

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Cite this Entry

“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canny. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

canny

adjective
can·​ny
ˈkan-ē
cannier; canniest
: watchful of one's own interest
cannily
ˈkan-ᵊl-ē
adverb
canniness
ˈkan-ē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on canny

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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