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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleverness
That Aldous Harding makes this impulse look easy without sacrificing any of the cleverness or creativity that makes her music so immediate is striking, to say the least.
—
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
If there’s cleverness to the way Lindsay-Abaire keeps passing the buck of hypocrisy between the members of the neighborhood association, there’s also a pervading sense of decorum that limits how far the satire can go.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
The finding speaks to the cleverness of Kea (Nestor notabilis), mountain-dwelling parrots with a reputation for impish intelligence.
—Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 20 Apr. 2026
Even so, a little magic has crept into the proceedings, with some brands concealing their cleverness in plain sight and others putting more of the horological art on display.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
And his creativity and cleverness flashed on some really slick, eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head sequences.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The humor spawned by Emma’s confession will strike some as deeply unfunny, while others might uncomfortably chuckle at its cleverness.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Another owner proudly mentioned her Corgi, known for its cleverness and ability to find its way home.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2026
But this is where MadEvolve really shines with its cleverness.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
If there’s cleverness to the way Lindsay-Abaire keeps passing the buck of hypocrisy between the members of the neighborhood association, there’s also a pervading sense of decorum that limits how far the satire can go.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
The finding speaks to the cleverness of Kea (Nestor notabilis), mountain-dwelling parrots with a reputation for impish intelligence.
—Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 20 Apr. 2026
Even so, a little magic has crept into the proceedings, with some brands concealing their cleverness in plain sight and others putting more of the horological art on display.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
And his creativity and cleverness flashed on some really slick, eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head sequences.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The humor spawned by Emma’s confession will strike some as deeply unfunny, while others might uncomfortably chuckle at its cleverness.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Another owner proudly mentioned her Corgi, known for its cleverness and ability to find its way home.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2026
But this is where MadEvolve really shines with its cleverness.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleverness
Noun
-
While the company did not disclose the exact flight time beyond saying it was completed in just over six hours, the route highlights the aircraft’s ability to connect North America and Europe at high speed.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
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But its most potent advantage is undoubtedly its ability to engender fearsome loyalty from many young Lebanese Shia Muslims.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Researchers are already documenting how using AI tools in these contexts likely erodes critical thinking skills.—
Christian B. Miller,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
-
The quality of the present ultimately does not matter, thanks to Winegar’s day job as a comedy writer and his skill for booking equally funny guests.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
That spirit still drives the family today, even as each sibling approaches creativity from a different angle.—
Datwon Thomas,
VIBE.com,
6 June 2026
-
However, bringing the villa to life has required a surprising amount of time, materials and creativity.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The paint is deftly mottled but its handling lacks the prowess of her later work (see, for example, Being Beamed, 1984, a fantasia of extraterrestrial teleportation in which the watercolor is sumptuous but perfectly controlled).—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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For America, saving the structures that defined the country’s prowess in innovation, experimentation, and ingenuity means looking to a relatively recent past.—
Time,
Time,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
But without freedom, Berdyaev writes, creativeness is impossible.—
Andrew McDiarmid,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But when held up against the pantheon of medal-winning talent on the 45-strong entry list, Bucci’s was unlikely to be the name a punter would put forward as the winner.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
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That aging ensemble bursts with talent — so much so that its writers don’t mind killing off the occasional gramps or gran.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
Noun
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For everyone else, including this freelance journalist without an expense account, the approach is more like a military-level obstacle course designed to test your cunning and will.—
Jada Yuan,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
-
The quality that drew Kurosawa to Yonezawa’s novel in the first place is not valor or cunning but something considerably less heroic.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The ‘Big River’ captured Mark Twain’s imagination.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
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And for venture capital, imagination may remain the most important signal of all.—
Anna Demeo,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleverness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleverness. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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