1
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters
negotiates business deals with all of the proverbial canniness of an old-time horse trader
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
the canniness with which she negotiated her contract as spokesperson for the shoe manufacturer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canniness
Noun
-
In theory, that’s what Slot wants his side to do, but in practice this season, due to personnel, fitness and at times structure, the Liverpool high press has lacked the intensity, aggression and intelligence of previous years.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026 -
By Saturday, the Pentagon had surged more than 150 aircraft to join the effort to rescue the weapons system officer, Dude 44B, including 64 fighter jets, four bombers, 48 refuelers, 13 rescue planes and 26 intelligence and jamming aircraft, sources told CBS News.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Maybe the mere fact of having been born illustrious, with no apparent faults, with nothing to prove or to be ashamed of, had liberated John from the resentments the rest of us feel, and from the cunning and ambition such resentments fuel.—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Brazil international combines technical craft with a decisive cunning.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Feelings of romance and wit and subversiveness are as important to her as the political background of her story.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
It’s been a quarter century since the mostly Canadian supergroup New Pornographers sprang from the florid imagination of Carl Newman, a pop savant with an angel’s voice and switchblade wit.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mike Bowman, designer, furniture industry expert, and director of marketing for Harmonia Living, says this trend relies on furnishings to bring artfulness to a space—rather than just functionality.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Humble but strong, philosophical but pragmatic, Kingsley's interpretation of the leader manages to balance both his spirituality and shrewdness, simultaneously demystifying an icon while also adding another layer to the legend.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Venusian shrewdness and Mercurian intelligence are coming together to boost your analytical powers — at least, in regard to your own finances.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There’s nothing fancy about a big, square screen that sits upstage of the circular playing area, but the subtlety in which the images and mood flows through the screen greatly enhance the storytelling.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
These are thematically on-the-nose gestures, but Kawamura, unlike the game’s creators, doesn’t place a premium on subtlety—or, for that matter, interactivity.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Cignetti has tapped into a distinctly Hoosier brand of team pride, which proves that his acumen is just as strong off the football field as on it.—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
IndyStar,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The guys up at Auburn rave about his intelligence, his football acumen and his work ethic.—
Creg Stephenson | cstephenson@al.com,
al,
20 Jan. 2023
Noun
-
More smart scales are now including a handlebar to provide detailed insights into fat and muscle distribution across different parts of the body.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Business leaders look everywhere for inspiration, from eyeing their peers’ successes to tapping industry vets for insight.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Canniness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canniness. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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