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
-
Our colleague Jason Zengerle knew him as a young wise-guy reporter who leaned, maybe, center right.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Numbers-wise, Deadline reported earlier that the ceremony will include 3,500 athletes and more than 1,300 performers, feature 182 original designs, more than 1,400 costumes and 1,500 pairs of shoes, with 110 make-up artists and 70 hair stylists working behind the scenes.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Bedding purists can choose between brilliant white or a no-nonsense grey—either way, expect crisp bedding meant for airy nights.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Despite not being in his most technically brilliant form, Malinin was a crowd favorite at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, which was packed to the rafters with fans waving American flags.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
What followed was very clever and fun.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
For progressives, the undisputed master of the viral protest song is the thirty-three-year-old folksinger Jesse Welles, who makes videos of himself standing in a field, singing clever miniature tunes about the hypocrisies of the health-care industry, tech billionaires, ICE.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In addition, Kravitz regularly serves as an appeal host, supporting nonprofit organizations in raising funds through emotionally intelligent storytelling and crowd engagement.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
-
An authority figure might be quite impressed by your speedy progress or intelligent questions.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The gold standard of smart watches, the Apple Watch can do just about everything your iPhone can, all from your wrist.—
John Monaco,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
-
At the end of the day, Amodei said, people still enjoy interacting with other humans, with very smart and capable AI complementing them.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But being the first to break through the status quo hasn’t always sat comfortably with Edwards, who is keen to be credited not only for the color of her skin but also for her athletic ability.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Outside of punter, the Panthers have been pretty keen on adding players who are just entering their prime.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Even when dining on the patio, the cuisine is exceptional, which comes as no surprise since Seabourn is a member of the famous culinary Chaîne des Rôtisseurs association.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The service is exceptional, and the food is delicious, especially the fluffy, build-your-own omelet.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Since Kenny Dillingham’s arrival, the Sun Devils have been astute at utilizing the portal — their 2024 Big 12 championship team got several of its key contributors that way — and this year is no different.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
An astute writer, Aristidou avoids including a screaming match typical of stories like this.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perspicacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacious. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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