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canny

play
adjective can·ny \ˈka-nē\

Definition of canny

cannier

;

canniest

  1. 1 :  clever, shrewd a canny lawyer; also :  prudent canny investments

  2. 2 chiefly Scotland a :  careful, steady; also :  restrainedb :  quiet, snug then canny, in some cozy place, they close the day — Robert Burns

cannily

play \ˈka-nəl-ē\ adverb

canniness

play \ˈka-nē-nəs\ noun

See canny defined for English-language learners

See canny defined for kids

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Examples of canny in a Sentence

  1. a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents

  2. warm and canny under the woolen bedcovers, we didn't mind the chilly Scottish nights

Origin and Etymology of canny

1can

canny Synonyms

Synonyms
astute, shrewd, clear-eyed, clear-sighted, hard-boiled, hardheaded, heady, knowing, savvy, sharp, sharp-witted, smart
Antonyms
unknowing
Related Words
artful, cagey (also cagy), crafty, cunning, devious, dodgy [chiefly British], foxy, guileful, pawky [chiefly British], slick, sly, subtle, tricky, wily; discerning, insightful, perceptive, percipient, perspicacious, sagacious, sage, sapient, wise; experienced, veteran; discriminating, discriminative; agile, alert, brainy, bright, brilliant, clever, intelligent, keen, nimble, quick, quick-witted, sharp-eyed, sharp-sighted; apt, ingenious, resourceful; calculating, scheming
Near Antonyms
artless, guileless, ingenuous, innocent, naive (or naïve); exploitable, gullible (also gullable); unperceptive, unwise; dense, dull, obtuse; airheaded, birdbrained, brain-dead, brainless, dim-witted, dopey (also dopy), dumb, empty-headed, feebleminded, gormless [chiefly British], half-witted, knuckleheaded, lamebrain (or lamebrained), lunkheaded, simple, slow, slow-witted, softheaded, stupid, thickheaded, thick-witted, unintelligent, weak-minded; foolish, idiotic (also idiotical), imbecile (or imbecilic), moronic, silly, thoughtless, witless; ignorant, uninformed
2

canny

adverb can·ny

Definition of canny

Scotland

  1. :  in a canny manner :  carefully

First Known Use of canny

circa 1796

CANNY Defined for English Language Learners

canny

play
adjective

Definition of canny for English Language Learners

  • : very clever and able to make intelligent decisions

CANNY Defined for Kids

canny

play
adjective can·ny \ˈka-nē\

Definition of canny for Students

cannier

;

canniest

  1. :  clever especially in taking advantage of opportunities :  shrewd a canny decision canny shoppers

cannily

\ˈka-nə-lē\ adverb

Learn More about canny

  1. See words that rhyme with canny Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for canny Spanish Central: Translation of canny Nglish: Translation of canny for Spanish speakers

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Examples: canny in a Sentence