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
-
Leverage sales intelligence tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator to gather insights.—
Besnik Vrellaku,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025 -
The advisor sees the president first thing in the morning for the daily intelligence briefing and leaves after the president retires for the evening, but remains on call around the clock.—
Arthur House,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2025
Noun
-
Neither his fearsome resolve nor his supreme cunning—which had enabled him to vanquish his rivals and spiritually crush his inner circle—was in evidence in 1941.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Sep. 2017
-
Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
With sharp wit, bold music, and intimate character portrayals, the show breaks stereotypes and offers a rare, multifaceted depiction of Muslim women unlike most representations in Western media.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
1 May 2025
-
As Mortensen talked, her children cut in, sharing stories about their mother’s influence and wit.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Virtual representation of that entity or process – A virtual model that doesn’t just mimic the original but evolves with it, capturing subtleties and complexities.—
Ben Chused,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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But subtlety is not what cold brew is best at accentuating.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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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
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But Lord knows, there’s a mountain of acumen and perspicacity or, in plain terms, good horse sense stored in those minds and souls.—
Gordon Monson,
The Salt Lake Tribune,
8 Jan. 2023
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Cite this Entry
“Canniness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canniness. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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