wise

adjective

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\ ˈwīz

wiser; wisest

Definition of wise

(Entry 1 of 7)

1a : characterized by wisdom : marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment

b : exercising or showing sound judgment : prudent a wise investor

2a : evidencing or hinting at the possession of inside information : knowing

b : possessing inside information the police got wise to his whereabouts

c : crafty, shrewd

d : aware of or informed about a particular matter —usually used in the comparative in negative constructions with the was none the wiser about their plans

3 : insolent, smart-alecky, fresh a tough kid with a wise mouth

4 archaic : skilled in magic or divination

wise

verb (1)

wised; wising

Definition of wise (Entry 2 of 7)

intransitive verb

: to become informed or knowledgeable : learn —used with up

transitive verb

: to give instruction or information to : teach —usually used with up wise him up about procedures

wise

noun

Definition of wise (Entry 3 of 7)

: manner, way in any wise Old age seemed in no wise to have dulled him, but to have sharpened …— Herman Melville

wise

verb (2)

wised; wising

Definition of wise (Entry 4 of 7)

transitive verb

1 chiefly Scotland

a : direct, guide

b : advise, persuade

2 chiefly Scotland : to divert or impel in a given direction : send

-wise

adverb combining form

Definition of -wise (Entry 5 of 7)

1a : in the manner of crabwise fanwise

b : in the position or direction of slantwise clockwise

2 : with regard to : in respect of dollarwise

Wise

biographical name (1)

\ ˈwīz

Definition of Wise (Entry 6 of 7)

Stephen Samuel 1874–1949 American (Hungarian-born) rabbi

Wise

biographical name (2)

Definition of Wise (Entry 7 of 7)

Thomas James 1859–1937 English bibliophile and forger

Other Words from wise Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about wise

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Synonyms & Antonyms for wise

Synonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for wise

Adjective

wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment. wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them. wise beyond his tender years sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom. the sage advice of my father sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment. the sapient musings of an old philosopher judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions. judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion. a prudent decision to wait out the storm sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality. a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness. remained sane even in times of crises

Examples of wise in a Sentence

Adjective I'm a little wiser now than I was back then. The wisest course of action would be to leave. That was a wise choice. Many have benefited from her wise counsel.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Any deal for him would potentially limit what the Cardinals salary-cap wise in what the team could offer other players, should the team consider trying to trade for him, which has to be considered a huge longshot anyways. — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, "Aaron Rodgers trade odds: Arizona Cardinals in Top 10 for Green Bay Packers quarterback," 1 May 2021 This Allie, though, isn’t just a bitter, misunderstood genius, but a fugitive from justice who only decides to leave the country after federal agents (played by Kimberly Elise and James LeGros) get wise to his newest identity. — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, "‘The Mosquito Coast’: Justin Theroux Heads South of the Border," 29 Apr. 2021 This particular episode may have involved our own house and family, but there were more universal lessons at issue here that smart sellers would be wise to consider. — Randy Illig, Forbes, "Sales Believe It Or Not, Stories From The Field," 28 Apr. 2021 Pitchers might be wise to not mess with D-FW’s top sluggers, because home runs are being crushed at a rapid rate. — Greg Riddle, Dallas News, "Softball playoff preview: Players and teams to watch, plus a look at the Dallas area’s rising HR numbers," 27 Apr. 2021 The Okolo sisters are obviously wise beyond their years. — Steven P. Dinkin, San Diego Union-Tribune, "To fight racial injustice, let’s listen to youth," 25 Apr. 2021 More activists are wise to that trick now, and, presumably, Biden won’t try it. — Bill Mckibben, The New Yorker, "Biden’s Earth Day Climate Pledge for 2030 Will Define His Presidency," 22 Apr. 2021 Consumers, meanwhile, are increasingly wise about something: Farmers feed their chickens grain and other crops to fatten them up, using huge amounts of land, water, and energy, and then slaughter them for meat. — BostonGlobe.com, "Nothing to squawk at: Plant-based ‘chicken’ is pretty delicious — and on the verge of a major breakthrough," 13 Apr. 2021 My friend, wise to the ways of Gotham, wiped off the top of the can, popped it open, and inserted the straw. — Star Tribune, "Lileks: Will we ever get over our pandemic cleaning fetish?," 9 Apr. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb To help, 15 members of Forbes Technology Council share their best strategic approaches to wise IT budgeting. — Expert Panel®, Forbes, "15 Strategic Ways IT Leaders Can Meet Company Objectives On A Limited Budget," 11 Mar. 2021 But a cleaner, more resilient grid could ultimately lower energy costs for everyone, many economists believe—if companies wise up about climate change and invest accordingly. — Tim Mcdonnell, Quartz, "Who should pay to fix the electric grid?," 26 Feb. 2021 Some of that might not happen if a lot of people just wise up. — Michael Smolens Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: COVID fatigue collides with the holidays," 15 Nov. 2020 After Vietnam, Democratic presidents began to wise up. — Kevin Baker, Harper's Magazine, "The Striking Gesture," 27 Apr. 2020 The right’s populists might wise up to this eventually. — Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, "Bernie Sanders Has Finally Got Republicans’ Attention," 15 Jan. 2020 Size wise the shrimp were on the shrimpy side for sure, but still an effective dish, particularly as a sharable or appetizer. — Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, "Huntsville’s popular taco-bus goes indoors," 1 Oct. 2019 But that's all changing, as more people wise up to the fact that Jordan actually has it all: religious and historical attractions, otherworldly landscapes, and cosmopolitan sophistication. — Andrew Solomon, Condé Nast Traveler, "Traveling Through Jordan’s Historic Ruins, Red Dunes, and Dead Sea," 24 July 2019 Turner wants Elwood to wise up and look out for himself. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction: Colson Whitehead Is One of the Finest Novelists in America," 12 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wise.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.