Synonyms of astute

astute

adjective

ə-ˈstüt 

as in smart

having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment

a police detective known to be an astute judge of character

Synonyms & Similar Words

• smart
• shrewd
• savvy
• wise
• sharp
• intelligent
• clever
• brilliant
• experienced
• knowing
• veteran
• hardheaded
• keen
• canny
• heady
• clear-eyed
• cunning
• clear-sighted
• sharp-witted
• quick
• perceptive
• bright
• insightful
• subtle
• sagacious
• wily
• perspicacious
• slick
• sly
• artful
• discerning
• hard-boiled
• crafty
• cagey
• tricky
• devious
• resourceful
• foxy
• sage
• guileful
• percipient
• ingenious
• pawky
• sapient
• cagy
• nimble
• apt
• brainy
• discriminating
• discriminative
• agile
• alert
• dodgy
• sharp-eyed
• quick-witted
• calculating
• scheming
• sharp-sighted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• naive
• naïve
• ingenuous
• guileless
• unknowing
• artless
• gullible
• innocent
• unwise
• exploitable
• unperceptive
• obtuse
• dense
• dumb
• simple
• stupid
• foolish
• slow
• unintelligent
• dull
• idiotic
• dopey
• thoughtless
• ignorant
• uninformed
• silly
• feebleminded
• brain-dead
• brainless
• moronic
• gullable
• thickheaded
• weak-minded
• imbecile
• imbecilic
• witless
• dim-witted
• knuckleheaded
• gormless
• slow-witted
• softheaded
• empty-headed
• lamebrained
• lamebrain
• half-witted
• airheaded
• lunkheaded
• dopy
• thick-witted
• idiotical
• birdbrained

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective astute differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of astute are perspicacious, sagacious, and shrewd. While all these words mean "acute in perception and sound in judgment," astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill.

an astute player of party politics

When could perspicacious be used to replace astute?

While in some cases nearly identical to astute, perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden.

a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade

When might sagacious be a better fit than astute?

In some situations, the words sagacious and astute are roughly equivalent. However, sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness.

sagacious investors got in on the ground floor

When would shrewd be a good substitute for astute?

Although the words shrewd and astute have much in common, shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment.

a shrewd judge of character

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of astute

An astute judge of talent, Reid also suggested John Bonham fill the drum chair in Led Zeppelin. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025

Andy, in his most astute moment of the episode, points out that Jax does have control. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025

During my own visit to the Westminster eatery to check out the dish, I (a far less astute and seasoned gastronome than Yee) was equally bowled over. —Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 31 July 2025

Fortunately, Red Sox chief of baseball operations Craig Breslow was astute enough in the offseason to engineer a trade with the New York Yankees, bringing in largely unheralded rookie catcher Carlos Narvaez for pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz. —Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025

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