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. sense
  6. acumen
  7. acuity
  8. understanding
Noun
  • The presentation was designed to work on the emotions as well as the intellect.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Children’s imaginations and intellect should be nurtured rather than broken.
    — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of intellect
Noun
  • Each remembers Smith fondly, many with both sympathy for and frustration with his innate sensitivity.
    — Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Finally, China will remain a selective market for Canada, both in terms of sourcing and exports, given sensitivities around national security and overcapacity.
    — Barrett Bingley, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of sensitivity
Noun
  • Soundcore Earbuds Labor Day Weekend Deal The Soundcore Space A40 Earbuds build an invisible wall against the chaos with an adaptive ANC intelligence matrix that actively isolates up to 98% of ambient noise.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Germany's domestic intelligence classifies the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt as extremist.
    — Esme Nicholson, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of intelligence
Noun
  • But The Debut grows to become something altogether wilder, a fire-breathing encomium to the reality-altering power of acting.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Singapore is leveraging its scarce land, energy, and population to bolster its regulatory and agenda-setting power over data centers and sustainability.
    — Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of power
Noun
  • Bieber and Gausman are the two names on this list that make the most sense to bring back.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Karrahboooo’s flow, kind of like Veeze or Lucki, manages to feel both laid back and conversational and deeply and intricately rhythmic, an almost enchanting combination made more potent by Karrahbooo’s almost dance-leaning sense of melody.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 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
  • In his exquisitely layered seventh feature, Possible Love (Ga-neung-han sa-rang), Lee Chang-dong’s humanistic observational skills remain at their peak, the acuity of his insights into emotional lives and social conditions unparalleled.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The best of Ascherson’s writing manages to capture both large themes and sensory detail with passion and acuity.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of acuity
Noun
  • Another key element to Rashford’s return has been his understanding with Shaw.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The Atlas promises to make the job of biologists and medical researchers considerably easier, potentially speeding up the understanding of genetic diseases and the hunt for possible cures.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of understanding

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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 12 Sep. 2026.

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