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
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The platform acts as an intelligence layer that stitches together disparate systems and data within an organization.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026 -
From intelligence, the defense minister said the military knew the kingpin's security detail was heavily armed – outfitted with long arms and rocket launchers – and troops planned for a siege.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Over thousands of years of history, our propaganda has repeatedly sought to portray ourselves as the plucky underdogs, surviving against huge physical odds by marshaling our intelligence and native cunning against the brute forces of nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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Holding viewers by the throat for a handful of strong beats, even as the script slips through the entire cast’s fingers, the devilish actor sells Besson’s interpretation on charisma and cunning.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Her Meryll Rogge collections are full of color, wit, and sophistication, but always with a dash of the unexpected.—
Nicole Phelps,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Dropout Improv—The highly popular comedy platform takes its sharp wit and quick-thinking comedy offline and onto the stage in a special SXSW performance!—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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And Ten Hag’s training ground shrewdness was meant to correct that.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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More recently, Ayo Edebiri’s 2024 column gown reminded everyone that subtlety beats pyrotechnics every time.—
Alex Badia,
Footwear News,
22 Feb. 2026
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Thank God for Catherine’s faithful servant Nelly (Hong Chau), who, even with a small role in the film’s plot, is the only actor here with a meaningful grasp of emotional subtlety.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Taken together, these insights helped scientists arrive at the current prevailing theory that a Mars-size object smashed into Earth, ejecting a blob of molten material from our planet that became the moon.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Published in Geophysical Research Letters, the study offers new insights into Uranus’s upper atmosphere, confirm its long-term cooling trend and provide key constraints for ice giant ionospheric and magnetospheric modeling.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Canniness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canniness. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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