as in wise
formal
having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious
She considers herself a perspicacious judge of character. The critic made some perspicacious observations about the film.
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Recent Examples of perspicacious
If a new Bridgerton-sibling romance each season is the series’ gimmick, then Penelope has proven to be its soul—a vividly realistic protagonist whose perspicacious alter ego tethered each fairytale courtship to earth.
—
Judy Berman, TIME, 14 June 2024
One of the few perspicacious journalists of the Trump era, Graeme Wood, put it pithily: The Deep State is in the White House, and Trump appointed it.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 13 Dec. 2023
With the help of friends in the publishing world, Jaffrey’s draft landed in the hands of the perspicacious Knopf editor Judith Jones in 1971.
—Mayukh Sen, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
Photographs show Pym looking jolly and perspicacious, with charmingly crooked English teeth.
—Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
This particular Ferrari F50 was delivered new, in 1996, to Étienne Léandri, a defense lawyer and perspicacious Ferrari collector from Monaco.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2022
As played by the perspicacious young performer Aoife Riddell, Phoebe is perhaps the realest part of the whole picture, a sweet and desperate and boy-crazy kid bouncing with eagerness and nerves.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Forty-five years have passed since the late Professor Price coined his perspicacious term.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Nov. 2010
Judy Berman, TIME, 14 June 2024
One of the few perspicacious journalists of the Trump era, Graeme Wood, put it pithily: The Deep State is in the White House, and Trump appointed it.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 13 Dec. 2023
With the help of friends in the publishing world, Jaffrey’s draft landed in the hands of the perspicacious Knopf editor Judith Jones in 1971.
—Mayukh Sen, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
Photographs show Pym looking jolly and perspicacious, with charmingly crooked English teeth.
—Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
This particular Ferrari F50 was delivered new, in 1996, to Étienne Léandri, a defense lawyer and perspicacious Ferrari collector from Monaco.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2022
As played by the perspicacious young performer Aoife Riddell, Phoebe is perhaps the realest part of the whole picture, a sweet and desperate and boy-crazy kid bouncing with eagerness and nerves.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Forty-five years have passed since the late Professor Price coined his perspicacious term.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Nov. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perspicacious
Adjective
-
Some advise using buckets of steaming hot water to speed up the job of removing ice, but this isn't always the wisest idea.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
23 Jan. 2026
-
There wasn’t room for anyone else either physically or personality-wise.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Cole Caufield served notice that Team USA made a grave mistake leaving him off the Olympic team, but Morgan Geekie’s deuce trumped the brilliant Montreal Canadiens forward’s hat trick in the Bruins’ thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 win at TD Garden on Saturday night.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
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What leads up to the painting’s ultimate settlement is chaos, folks running around on a lush patch of grass, brilliant trees and shimmering water lining the background.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Affordability will not be solved by a sweeping law or one clever cap.—
J.D. Hayworth,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Not in your opening line or your clever hook.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Caterpillar’s intelligent product lineup spans core construction and earthmoving equipment, along with connected site systems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
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Conversely, if these foundations can be reinforced, even partially, the intelligent age may yet fulfil its promise of progress.—
Klaus Schwab,
Time,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The breakthrough comes from a smart molecular design that lets the same polymer behave as both rubber and plastic.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Jan. 2026
-
This smart pill is not meant for every prescription.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Global businesses have also long been keen to sell to China’s large consumer market, the second-largest in the world.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Guardiola was always a stern taskmaster with Sane, never overly praising him and often reeling back giddy reporters keen to hype the German star.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The ship offers a rare opportunity to follow in the footsteps of historic polar explorers, paired with refined design, exceptional cuisine and a strong scientific mission.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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At Old Trafford a fortnight earlier in the third round of the FA Cup, the game management of Kostoulas was exceptional in helping to protect a 2-1 lead as a late substitute.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Now, astute tennis fans will want to look up.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Diversity helps parties prevent wipeouts in difficult cycles, like this one is for Republicans, and maximizes gains in good years, as astute Democrats are hoping to do this year.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perspicacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacious. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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