perspicacity

noun

Definition of perspicacitynext
as in intellect
an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious She had the perspicacity to recognize the underlying problem.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of perspicacity The financial manipulations that undergirded their fortunes get scrutinized as theft from the public purse, praise for their courage and perspicacity yields to condemnation for their conduct. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026 And our unity with divine Mind endows each of us with the intelligence, spiritual insight, and perspicacity to make sound decisions, including consenting to receiving all the good God has prepared for us. — Karen Neff, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perspicacity
  1. intellect
  2. sensitivity
  3. intelligence
  4. power
  5. astuteness
  6. sense
  7. acumen
  8. acuity
Noun
  • Caught in that sensual music all neglect Monuments of unageing intellect.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The man had style down, unafraid to go full-tilt into camp fantasia while always staying grounded in fierce intellect.
    — Juan A. Ramírez, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of intellect
Noun
  • These give the driver real-time control over accelerator pedal sensitivity, wheel slip thresholds (with nine traction settings) and cornering agility.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The authors concluded that improved laboratory sensitivity and statistical methods could help agencies better interpret drinking-water monitoring results.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensitivity
Noun
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, repeated his warning Sunday that Iran or its proxies could launch an attack before the election to disrupt the vote, citing intelligence.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • What readers are saying The comments discuss a case involving a person who sent letters containing a suspicious substance, with many commenters criticizing the individual's intelligence for including his return address.
    — Violet Jira, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of intelligence
Noun
  • Jean Gilles Bernard Camille, a community organizer who lives in a gang stronghold in the capital, said foreign forces have repeatedly underestimated the capacity and power of Haitian gangs and their ability to adapt.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Georgy Tikhomirov, a nuclear physicist at Russia’s MEPhI university, said there is still too little operating experience to assess the actual cost of the electricity and power produced.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of power
Noun
  • The attack was a move that the usually hesitant Mas had never previously attempted, let alone pulled off, while the successful deployment of a satellite rider demonstrated tactical astuteness that the team have often been accused of lacking.
    — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of astuteness
Noun
  • The tightness of White’s control over his arrangements can occasionally foreclose the sense of chaotic freedom inherent to his more collaborative efforts.
    — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • This approach was meant to counter Vucic's one-man rule and restore a sense of community and solidarity.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of sense
Noun
  • Cignetti has tapped into a distinctly Hoosier brand of team pride, which proves that his acumen is just as strong off the football field as on it.
    — Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The guys up at Auburn rave about his intelligence, his football acumen and his work ethic.
    — Creg Stephenson | [email protected], al, 20 Jan. 2023
Definition of acumen
Noun
  • Jeon Do-yeon, meanwhile, brings to Possible Love the extraordinary emotional acuity that has made her one of Korean cinema’s most compelling performers.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond the emotional acuity, much of the film’s ambitious methods can feel like an anachronism in 2026.
    — Bridget Arsenault, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of acuity

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perspicacious
perspicacity
perspicuity
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Cite this Entry

“Perspicacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacity. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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