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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With them, outrage becomes fuel for sustained, wise action.—
Marc Brackett,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
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Hubert will play a wise woman who meets Hilary (Coco Jones) and becomes instrumental to the Banks family.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Wardrobe supervisor Earl Nicholson then offered a brilliant idea, which viewers see after Clarkson’s Kellyoke performance wraps.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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It is surrounded by a system of brilliant rays extending outward in all directions for many hundreds of miles.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Fox’s costume is certainly clever — and on brand for Halloween — if not exactly tasteful.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
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The decor is relatively spare, allowing the natural materials to shine and emphasizing clever design tricks like the dining-table bench built into the back of the kitchen island.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Conspiracy theorists claim intelligent aliens might be observing humanity’s weapons capabilities.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
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With the excitement and delusion of Humbert Humbert imposing a purple-prose narrative on his pedophilic assumptions, Hank speaks of his former student like a James Dean figure — beautiful, brooding and quietly intelligent.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Marisol Quilt Crafted from 100% cotton, Pottery Barn’s Marisol Quilt is a smart and stylish bedding option for the fall.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Oct. 2025
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Bagsmart Tech Organizer Nothing feels messier than cords tangled at the bottom of your bag mid-travel day, which is why this smart tech organizer never leaves my suitcase.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Though much of the language around clean fashion is aimed at the health of the consumer, experts are keen to stress that benefits for those working in the supply chain should be considered, too.—
Sophie Benson,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
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Blending the two forms requires a keen eye for visuals and an uncanny sense of the surreal.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Watches offer an opportunity to expand that world, telling our story through a new lens while answering a growing desire for pieces that combine design, with exceptional functionality.—
Thomas Waller,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
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Gift with Taste 672 elevates gifting with flexible deliveries of Napa’s most exceptional reds, handpicked by Robb Report editors.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But astute viewers will see some other familiar, and perhaps surprising, rock ‘n’ roll faces in the production.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
25 Oct. 2025
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Senne Lammens continuing his composed start to his United career could at least counteract those types of chances for Brighton, while Amorim’s defenders will need to be astute to the movement of Hurzeler’s front-line.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perspicacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacious. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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