All of Laptsev went to stare at the bride-to-be—she was no beauty, but everyone could see that she was clever, sophisticated …—Isaac Bashevis Singer, New Yorker, 29 Sept. 2003… the three of them may give Gray Davis, who was too clever for his own good, his comeuppance.—Garrison Keillor, Time, 25 Aug. 2003Some thought he had no redeeming value whatsoever. A sociopath. A clever manipulator …—Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2002Those who can't write poetry, write clever letters to the editor. Those who can't write clever letters to the editor, write angry letters to the editor.—Matt Groening, Utne Reader, November/December 1987The old lady was clever enough and he thought that if she had started from any of the right premises, more might have been expected of her.—Flannery O'Connor, Everything That Rises Must Converge, 1967
Some cats are clever enough to figure out how to operate doorknobs.
That's the cleverest idea I've heard yet!
She found a clever hiding place for the letter.
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And what begins as a clever, high-concept joke doesn’t always build beyond a steady stream of chuckles.—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 That's where this attack gets clever.—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026 The structure is made with recyclable aluminum, while interior components utilize recycled cork, a clever nod to the wine industry.—New Atlas, 20 Apr. 2026 Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the head of the firm (Beau Bridges), is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clever
Word History
Etymology
Middle English cliver, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish dialect kløver alert, skillful