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
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
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
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In other hands, this would cue a standard disease-of-the-week weepie, but Coixet keeps the tone lightly wistful and wise, and trains her attention ever more minutely on Rohrwacher, who along with her character, seems to blossom gradually under this steady gaze.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
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Point guard James Harden had a quiet night scoring-wise with five points, but handed out 11 assists.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Robert, who wrote the screenplay, is a professor — a brilliant guy, but writing isn’t his day job.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
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Your brothers, with bouncy locks and brilliant teeth, stripped down and jumped in the spring.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The magnetic phone holder was so simple yet so clever.—
Anita Katee,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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Through draping, Yin created volumes and shapes as if they were achieved via padding, but in fact were just clever patterns.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The latest entry, 2023's Galactic Civilizations IV, has the most sophisticated AI of the lot, making your allies and enemies feel more real, and more intelligent.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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That kind of emotionally intelligent way of working was not seen as one of the old Victoria’s Secret’s strong points.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Most successful forgers were smart and creative people, and many of their forgeries were consummate, even ingenious.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
-
What to know about the 'smart wall' at the Arizona border.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Putin is keen to reboot relations with Damascus to maintain his country’s military bases in Syria, analysts said.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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The 28-year-old has returned to individual training after his ankle procedure, but Frank is keen not to rush the England international back to action.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Sharing the minutes around will hopefully reduce the strain on key players so they are only pushed to the limit in exceptional circumstances.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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The retrospective is part of PVR Inox’s ongoing initiative to honor landmark films and exceptional talent from India and beyond.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Both coaches also say the other is very astute as far as in-game adjustments, and the players certainly agree.—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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The odd, sometimes astute connections and ideas her seemingly new brain forms are not entirely unpleasant.—
Bekah Waalkes,
The Atlantic,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perspicacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacious. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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