1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comfortable
chiefly Scottish
enjoying physical comfort
warm and canny under the woolen bedcovers, we didn't mind the chilly Scottish nights
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canny
Byron’s a canny, bold, and incisive critic.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Yet in the three episodes HBO provided for review—episodes whose technical elements can be stunning and manipulation of genre conventions canny—Levinson does nothing to deepen his antihero’s search for meaning.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
But that spontaneity is balanced out with canny studio manipulation by producer Scotty Hard, who juxtaposes grooves and riffs and knits songs together, finding through lines and punctuating disjunctions.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 30 Mar. 2026
The Cubs made some canny moves in the offseason, and just signed budding superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong to a long-term contract extension.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for canny
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Yet in the three episodes HBO provided for review—episodes whose technical elements can be stunning and manipulation of genre conventions canny—Levinson does nothing to deepen his antihero’s search for meaning.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
But that spontaneity is balanced out with canny studio manipulation by producer Scotty Hard, who juxtaposes grooves and riffs and knits songs together, finding through lines and punctuating disjunctions.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 30 Mar. 2026
The Cubs made some canny moves in the offseason, and just signed budding superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong to a long-term contract extension.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for canny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canny
Adjective
-
But behind every chatbot, smart assistant and AI image generator sits a massive physical network.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
-
The plot sees Bonnie, now eight, increasingly drawn to a smart tablet, Lilypad, challenging her traditional toys led by Jessie.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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How comfortable would the Braves feel about giving the ball to Pérez and Elder in playoff games?—
Ken Sugiura,
AJC.com,
16 June 2026
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In recent years, opponents have felt comfortable defending their 12-personnel sets with both heavy and light personnel.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Forget about the astute narration (barbershops, bankers and roundabouts).—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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The two were walking around the Hotel Royal in Evian-les-Bains, France, when the conversation was overheard by astute observers.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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At '47 Brand, score 2026 NBA champions gear like a new drop of the brand's Clean Up hats, which have a relaxed fit, adjustable back and embroidered logos.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
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The singer and talk show host wore a light-wash, relaxed-fit pair on a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, proving the breezy silhouette is every bit as warm-weather-friendly as your favorite sundress.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
But even here, Wilde’s stylistic choices can veer from shrewd to overly studied.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
19 June 2026
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The money mega-booster Cody Campbell and company spent for their suddenly elite defensive line, led by David Bailey, proved to be a shrewd investment.—
Bruce Feldman,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Even the most technology-savvy leaders are still pondering and probing where the ceiling is in terms of containing agent sprawl and complexity.—
Joe McKendrick,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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Perhaps his savviest move, however, was a legendary backend deal that grants him a perpetual cut of revenue from Universal theme park attractions based on his blockbusters.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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