clever

adjective

clev·​er ˈkle-vər 

1

a

: skillful or adroit in using the hands or body : nimble

clever fingers

b

: mentally quick and resourceful

a clever young lawyer

2

: marked by wit or ingenuity

a clever solution

a clever idea

the play's clever dialogue

3

dialect

a

: good

b

: easy to use or handle

cleverish

ˈkle-v(ə-)rish 

adjective

cleverly

ˈkle-vər-lē 

adverb

cleverness

ˈkle-vər-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of clever

• innovative
• imaginative
• inventive
• creative

Choose the Right Synonym for clever

clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving.

clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude.

a person clever with horses

adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties.

an adroit negotiator

cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating.

a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects

ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something.

an ingenious software engineer

synonyms see in addition intelligent

Examples of clever in a Sentence

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. 2003

Some thought he had no redeeming value whatsoever. A sociopath. A clever manipulator … —Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2002

Those 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 1987

The 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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Consistency and authenticity build connection; clever messaging alone does not. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

All the power of the government — investigative, technological, legal — has been thrown at finding these mysterious, diabolically clever ballot baddies. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Still, those models too could usually be jailbroken by clever red teamers within about a day. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Stephenson’s storytelling finesse – clever reveals, discursive side quests, stealthy plot twists – shines in this robust tale of British journalist Owen and his globe-spanning search for a missing English earl in 1934. — Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cliver, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish dialect kløver alert, skillful

First Known Use

circa 1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing clever

• as clever as they come
• clever clogs
• too clever by half

Rhymes for clever

• bever
• ever
• haver
• lever
• never
• rever
• sever
• cantilever
• howsoever
• whatsoever
• whensoever
• wheresoever

Kids Definition

clever

adjective

clev·​er ˈklev-ər 

1

: showing skill especially in using one's hands

clever fingers

2

: quick in learning

a clever pupil

3

: showing wit or imagination

a clever idea

cleverish

-(ə-)rish 

adjective

cleverly

-ər-lē 

adverb

cleverness

-ər-nəs 

noun