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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of canny
So does Rivers, one of the canniest readers of the field.
—
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Harrison’s canny business acumen is also reaping rewards.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2025
Most of the time, landing a canny distributor with pockets like NatGeo (even though their promo budgets have been cut back) is a plus.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2025
But the catchphrase in Earthquake’s Joke Telling Business is really canny.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Harrison’s canny business acumen is also reaping rewards.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 15 Dec. 2025
Most of the time, landing a canny distributor with pockets like NatGeo (even though their promo budgets have been cut back) is a plus.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2025
But the catchphrase in Earthquake’s Joke Telling Business is really canny.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canny
Adjective
-
The Revolution Cooking smart toaster sears bagels, bread, waffles and more from edge to edge without drying them out -- crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
-
With Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto bringing the entire Japanese market on board as Dodgers fans, the richest and smartest team in baseball has ways of generating millions beyond the boundaries of normal revenue sharing that rival owners never even stopped to consider.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Set the scene Nearly all guests arrive the most comfortable way, connecting through San Juan on a Tradewind Aviation prop plane to Tortola's Beef Island, a 90-minute ride low enough to count the sailboats moored off Virgin Gorda.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Best Mid-Size 5-Passenger SUV Honda Passport Fresh off a redesign, the Honda Passport is not simply a two-row version of the uber-popular Pilot, but instead, a rugged yet comfortable SUV with its own personality.—
Scotty Reiss,
Parents,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Later, McCartney goes to the heart of the matter with an astute assessment of a value bred into him in Liverpool, a working-class aversion to being the boss.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Feb. 2026
-
In a ruse that, for lack of a more astute reference point here, feels very Don Draper-coded, Rose poses as the dear male soldier who died next to her in battle, figuring why waste the deeds to perfectly decent land, or his name.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The men’s capsule imbues the same collegiate spirit, with polos and shirting in sprightly patterns—albeit, slightly bolder than women’s—alongside said new take on the retailer’s windproof blouson, in khaki, sand and navy, plus relaxed sports shorts.—
Alice Cary,
Vogue,
3 Mar. 2026
-
There’s a strong focus on creative visions, notable debuts, decisive minimalism, relaxed tailoring, and, importantly, real-life wearability.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
While lacking Khomeini’s theological standing, Khamenei proved to be politically shrewd.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Thomas Jay Ryan was a funny, cranky Kramer, Will Brill a shrewd, amiable Fauci.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
He is said to be tech-savvy and fluent in Arabic and English, as well as having published 24 books and articles, Vatanka wrote.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Eddie Cantor, the popular and politically savvy star of stage, screen, and radio, presided over the meeting and was chosen as first president.—
Thomas Doherty,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
