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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In 2005, LifeStraw offered a clever aid to help more people drink safe water.—Merrill Fabry, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 Maybe the annoyingly meta touch tacked on at the last second is supposed to be clever.—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025 Packing cubes are a clever travel hack that can help maximize the space in your suitcase.—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025 Get our best clever painting hacks to extend the height of a room, space-saving storage ideas, and tips for arranging bedroom furniture.—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clever
Word History
Etymology
Middle English cliver, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish dialect kløver alert, skillful
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