1
as in innovative
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing
an inventor who was constantly coming up with clever devices for doing everyday chores
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind
a clever student figured out a trick to do the assignment faster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cunning
skillful with the hands
the Shakers were clever artisans who created many ingenious and highly useful devices
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4
as in witty
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor
a clever joke that requires a little bit of thought on the part of the listener
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5
as in inventive
having the skill and imagination to create new things
I wonder what clever person thought of the digital camera
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clever
The goal is to keep chats interesting with entertaining banter and clever comebacks, the company adds.
—
Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
Toni Martínez’s clever backheel from the byline smacked off Marin’s head just four meters from goal and flew past his own goalkeeper.
—ABC News, 13 Mar. 2026
This clever bag can be used two ways—as a backpack and as a tote bag.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
Serenity and style Comfortable lounge furniture, sleek appliances, and clever storage space is always a win.
—Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clever
Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
Toni Martínez’s clever backheel from the byline smacked off Marin’s head just four meters from goal and flew past his own goalkeeper.
—ABC News, 13 Mar. 2026
This clever bag can be used two ways—as a backpack and as a tote bag.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
Serenity and style Comfortable lounge furniture, sleek appliances, and clever storage space is always a win.
—Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clever
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clever
Adjective
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That innovative spirit continued as Bowling grew his food truck into full-fledged restaurants.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Sesame is an innovative self-pay health care organization with a platform that operates in all 50 states and connects patients directly with doctors, without insurance as a middle-man.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Lincoln Aviator is a luxury SUV due to its potent twin turbo V6 engine with intelligent AWD, and a cabin featuring premium leather heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic vista roof, and a Revel audio system.—
Tony Leopardo,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Beyond his artistic abilities, Jaden is an exceptionally intelligent and well-rounded student.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In state media comedy shows, jokes about Putin are told from time to time, but they are used to bolster his image as a powerful, cunning leader, and hold up Russia as a great country.—
Neringa Klumbytė,
The Conversation,
4 Mar. 2026
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These ambitious, cunning, and often amoral Cold War operatives were usually marginal or even inconsequential figures at home.—
Alfred McCoy,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While Minnelli, 79, pens darker moments of grief and addiction, her memoir is an overall romp through a life in showbiz, complete with plenty of witty zingers.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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Salazar-Thompson’s witty script — packed with hilarious metaphors and similes (like comparing a woman’s firm grip on her purse to that of a two-toed sloth on a branch) — make for a consistently amusing trip back in time.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of my more inventive exhibition ideas center on the artist’s experience rather than the artwork.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
9 Mar. 2026
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Your inventive concepts land better when the delivery is simple and well-paced.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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After all, this show, and Julia May Jonas’s book upon which it is based, is all about dark, unrequited desires and power dynamics as told by an unreliable narrator who largely lives inside her own imaginative head.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
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McCabe said the process of creating quilts can take longer than paintings, particularly when the artists dye their own fabric, cut the fabric and assemble it in imaginative and creative ways.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood The Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman gets all the attention and accolades as being one of the smartest and most successful general managers in sports, and deservedly so.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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There is some chance our leaders individually and collectively will not fight and will draw people together to do the difficult, smart things necessary to handle these challenges well enough to beat the odds.—
Ray Dalio,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Having spent a decade in lower-skilled positions at Virco, including in shipping and receiving, Moss is excited to have this chance.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
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Many of the region’s preschools operate on shoe-string budgets, serving largely low-income families who cannot afford the tuition hikes that would cover higher-skilled teachers or extra training.—
Michael Cuglietta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clever.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clever. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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