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
• simple
• dumb
• 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

Brooker turns what would otherwise be a dark comedy sketch into an astute depiction of public opinion’s changing tides, and the uncanny speed with which the unthinkable enters the realm of the acceptable. —Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025

Only the most astute short-term traders can do well in wild markets; ordinary investors need to keep calm and ignore all the headlines and price gyrations. —Sal Gilbertie, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

At the same time, Scott’s act of mass ventriloquism—patient, playful, physically astute and ultimately brave—clarifies something at the heart of Chekhov’s play. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025

But, like any astute power ranking, there are certain tells about which nominees have an advantage. —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025

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