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
At first, the book’s canny political observations come up against Evie’s naïveté.
—
Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
Independent publishers are canny, resilient actors, not fragile victims.
—Elizabeth Kaye Cook
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Offshore asset practices of the uber-rich The uber-rich aren't like the rest of us in so many ways, including their canny exploitation of highly secretive offshore financial systems to conceal their assets and/or identities.
—ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
While under the pon farr's influence, Spock sneakily redirected the Enterprise to his homeworld, and — following a spot of canny manipulation from his betrothed, T'Pring — ended up scrapping with his captain in a fight to the death.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
Independent publishers are canny, resilient actors, not fragile victims.
—Elizabeth Kaye Cook
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Offshore asset practices of the uber-rich The uber-rich aren't like the rest of us in so many ways, including their canny exploitation of highly secretive offshore financial systems to conceal their assets and/or identities.
—ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
While under the pon farr's influence, Spock sneakily redirected the Enterprise to his homeworld, and — following a spot of canny manipulation from his betrothed, T'Pring — ended up scrapping with his captain in a fight to the death.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canny
Adjective
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Meta also introduced a new pair of smart glasses made in collaboration with Oakley designed for high-performance sportspeople.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
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Meta has been developing its smart glasses with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica since 2019, and last year renewed a long-term partnership agreement to continue making the products.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The plushy Outlast Forever Velvet Pigment continues the tradition but with a comfortable, flexible formula that glides on smooth and dries down matte without drying out your lips.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Aggressive investors comfortable with operational complexity may find the specialized HPC route the most direct and potentially most rewarding exposure to AI expansion.—
Anthony Zhang,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Instead of viewing this as a lack of ambition, astute employers will recognize it as a wake-up call about what motivates the future workforce in a post-social contract age.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Whereas the former revealed the many ways in which the responsibility for keeping families and communities together falls on women (an observation that informs the new series as well), Ingelsby’s latest makes an astute study of guilt, revenge, and forgiveness.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Bateman matched The Truman Show actress in an all black ensemble consisting of dress pants, a blazer and a relaxed fit T-shirt.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
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The 100% leather seat and back have just enough slack never to feel too rigid against your back, while the lower-than-average seat height (only 14 inches high) gives off a relaxed and casual vibe.—
Elissa Suh,
Architectural Digest,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Stephen Kolek pitches well again The Royals made a shrewd move by acquiring starting pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek from the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
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Imagine what a shrewd, wheeler-dealer type could do with the Pirates.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
16 Sep. 2025
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However, a separate device is suitable for less tech-savvy users.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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