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
Forty-five years have passed since the late Professor Price coined his perspicacious term.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 3 Nov. 2010
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
More perspicacious than angry invective alone, that alchemy of tones has been her signature since the early ’90s, when a 20-something Hanna fronted Bikini Kill, the punk band that became the most visible act associated with the third-wave feminist movement known as riot grrrl.
—TIME, 7 May 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
IEEE Spectrum, 3 Nov. 2010
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
More perspicacious than angry invective alone, that alchemy of tones has been her signature since the early ’90s, when a 20-something Hanna fronted Bikini Kill, the punk band that became the most visible act associated with the third-wave feminist movement known as riot grrrl.
—TIME, 7 May 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perspicacious
Adjective
-
The wise stargazer brings warm clothes, bug spray and snacks — and takes breaks from staring at the sky every 30 minutes or so.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
For investors, is the resolve to assume tariff threats are bluffs and the impact easily handled a wise stance based on lessons learned in the April overshoot sell-off?—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
While the stories-at-the-speed-of-life series didn't get a comedy nomination in its final season, nor did star-writer Bridgett Everett, voters did have the good sense to honor Jeff Hiller, one of the ensemble's brilliant performers.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
-
My father, who was a brilliant student, attended college on an R.O.T.C. scholarship, served in the Navy, earned a Ph.D. in pharmacology, and became a professor at the SUNY Buffalo medical school.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
The bar is a buzzy and boozy affair from 5 to 6 p.m. daily, where guests and locals gather in a ritualistic ceremony to visit and try some of the clever cocktails (like the Tropical Storm and Drunken Pimento) for which Ooshan has become known.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the firm’s head (Beau Bridges), is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
Operation Bounce House follows Oliver Lewis, a colonist on the planet New Sonora, who leads a simple life on his family ranch, playing with his band and tending to his family's selection of intelligent agriculture bots.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
14 July 2025
-
These earbuds feature intelligent noise control, which removes up to twice as much background noise as previous AirPods models.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
If you’re just getting started with rebounding and want something compact and easy to use (that doesn’t cost a small fortune), here’s a smart entry point.—
Jordan Galloway,
SELF,
15 July 2025
-
The hardside spinner has a fashionable wave-like exterior, and the matching duffel makes for a smart, compact gym bag or overnight bag.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Joe, who has asthma, strongly opposes the implementation of mask mandates that Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) is keen to enforce.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
23 July 2025
-
That’s another substantive topic worthy of keen chatter.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Her work in front of and behind the camera has been exceptional.—
Banseka Kayembe,
Refinery29,
18 July 2025
-
Yet the difference between successful, not-enough-hours-in-the-day executives and truly exceptional leaders with ample downtime often lies in their ability to protect their attention.—
Ginni Saraswati,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Adjective
-
And while the Lynx are also offensively astute, their production on that end jumps to new heights when the opportunities are derived from defensive success.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
15 July 2025
-
The expectation is that the AGI and ASI would be computationally astute enough to decide when the AI maker is offering proper instructions versus improper ones.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perspicacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacious. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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