1
as in ability
mental skill or quickness
it takes real cleverness to find a way around the rules
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2
as in skill
subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something
the undeniable cleverness of the negotiator, who managed to get each side to believe that they had won
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in creativity
the skill and imagination to create new things
Cole Porter's overall cleverness with words, including his effortless ability to rhyme and pun
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Recent Examples of cleverness
Gartside tended to lead with the deconstructionist angle on his writing, and most critics seemed to take it as a given that all the lovey-dovey stuff was conceptual cleverness, a way of infiltrating pop and turning its lingua franca in on itself.
—
Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Choose kindness over cleverness, warmth over wit, empathy over one-upmanship.
—Glenn Kurlander, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
The narrative cleverness would only go so far, however, if it were not expertly brought to life.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
But the show’s engagement with this material now often feels perfunctory, more interested in displaying cleverness or swagger than in advancing character.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
His air of louche mischief attended his farces about Dada and James Joyce and moral determinism, his cleverness worn as lightly as a scarf.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
But that sense of self-conscious cleverness and cutesy desperation is a choice that the movie is now going to have to live with forever.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Nov. 2025
The future will be shaped not by the cleverness of our algorithms, but by the depth of our moral imagination.
—Nicole Brachetti Peretti, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Surely, his sexuality played a role in his undeniable cleverness.
—Michael Cuby, Them., 24 Oct. 2025
Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Choose kindness over cleverness, warmth over wit, empathy over one-upmanship.
—Glenn Kurlander, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
The narrative cleverness would only go so far, however, if it were not expertly brought to life.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
But the show’s engagement with this material now often feels perfunctory, more interested in displaying cleverness or swagger than in advancing character.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
His air of louche mischief attended his farces about Dada and James Joyce and moral determinism, his cleverness worn as lightly as a scarf.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
But that sense of self-conscious cleverness and cutesy desperation is a choice that the movie is now going to have to live with forever.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Nov. 2025
The future will be shaped not by the cleverness of our algorithms, but by the depth of our moral imagination.
—Nicole Brachetti Peretti, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Surely, his sexuality played a role in his undeniable cleverness.
—Michael Cuby, Them., 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleverness
Noun
-
Opponents argue that too much farmland being turned into solar farms will affect the country’s ability to feed itself at the national level and destroy the rural nature of life at the county level.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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China’s response, albeit expected, is likely, either directly or indirectly, a form of intelligence gathering on its technical ability to address US and US ally activities in the region.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many attribute his sticking power to his skills as a political operator, which, alongside his inspirational speeches, have earned him comparisons with Winston Churchill.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Byer, who’s received an Emmy nomination for her hosting skills and is an alumna of the Upright Citizens Brigade, will tape a special this weekend at the Den Theatre.—
Jennifer Day,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At Victoria Dockside near the Avenue of Stars, K11 MUSEA vows to spark creativity through culture.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Photos will be judged on focus, lighting, composition, creativity, storytelling and overall impact, with special attention to native species, officials said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This blend of folklore and physics effectively turned a cultural holiday into a showcase for national industrial prowess.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The California native broke onto the scene with her technical prowess at age 12 in 2018, becoming the youngest skater to land a triple Axel in international competition.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But without freedom, Berdyaev writes, creativeness is impossible.—
Andrew McDiarmid,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The World team was loaded with talent, but NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic both sat out its second game, likely to preserve the health of two superstars who have struggled with injury in the past month.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
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Over the past 10 years, Hüller has built an international reputation as a major talent, most notably in the films Toni Erdmann, The Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall, the latter earning her an Oscar nomination for best actress.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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Strategy and cunning or physicality and grace?—
Zack Pierce,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
We are limited only by our imagination as to the best use of this wonderful site.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
-
We are then limited only by our own imagination and ability to create.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleverness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleverness. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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