as in skills
knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something
she's an excellent scholar of political science, but lacks the kind of savvy needed to run for public office
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a particularly savvy investor, he was among the first to see the potential in tech stocks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to know
to have a clear idea of
the man growled, "Don't ever date my daughter again—you savvy?"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of savvy
Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 30 July 2025
The Post-Flight ’Fit The key to looking fresh upon arrival lies in sartorial savvy; that is, choosing an outfit that’s optimally designed for a day of sight-seeing and lazing on sunny terraces, but in actuality is comprised of surprisingly comfortable staples.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 17 July 2025
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
To enjoy bushels of your favorite fruits, there are some savvy ways to improve the health of your trees and enhance your harvest.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2025
Jon Freeman, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2023
Consider the sage and savvy Cruz a $1 million guardrail for Tatis, a $340 million investment.
—Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for savvy
Noun
Competitors must balance brute strength with political savvy, knowing when to make moves and when to lay low, all while living in close quarters with people actively plotting for their elimination.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 30 July 2025
The Post-Flight ’Fit The key to looking fresh upon arrival lies in sartorial savvy; that is, choosing an outfit that’s optimally designed for a day of sight-seeing and lazing on sunny terraces, but in actuality is comprised of surprisingly comfortable staples.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 17 July 2025
Adjective
By all other measures, South Korea is a tech-savvy tourist haven.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
To enjoy bushels of your favorite fruits, there are some savvy ways to improve the health of your trees and enhance your harvest.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
But then, that’s Hardy in a nutshell: capable of writing the big hits for radio, obstinate enough to do something completely unexpected, and savvy enough to find the throughline for it all.
—Jon Freeman, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2023
Consider the sage and savvy Cruz a $1 million guardrail for Tatis, a $340 million investment.
—Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for savvy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savvy
Noun
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Two years painstakingly transforming a 200-year-old Philadelphia row house into the restaurant equivalent of a Formula 1 car; nearly 20 more honing his skills in kitchens across the city, learning, sharpening, waiting.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
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The World Economic Forum has noted that AI should develop rather than replace critical thinking skills, but many institutions are inadvertently doing the opposite.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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See our review The 2026 Hyundai Palisade is bigger and smarter, just don’t expect more power The six-figure 2025 Lexus LX Hybrid takes full-size luxury to new heights.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Portable smart tire pressure monitors screw onto the valve stem and connect to your phone, offering real-time updates and alerts for slow leaks.—
Melanie Marshall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With the big night almost here, here's what to know about the award ceremony and how to watch it.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Your wallet — and your customer service experience — will depend on knowing the difference.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In this blog, Everest Group’s Peter Bendor-Samuel and Richard Sear bring together their perspectives from years of experience advising global enterprises and shaping advanced science and technology strategy.—
Peter Bendor-Samuel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Army soldiers, even those in non-combat jobs or those who lack previous firearms experience, must pass a rifle marksmanship test that includes targets as far as 325 yards away after mere days of training.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Instead of viewing this as a lack of ambition, astute employers will recognize it as a wake-up call about what motivates the future workforce in a post-social contract age.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Whereas the former revealed the many ways in which the responsibility for keeping families and communities together falls on women (an observation that informs the new series as well), Ingelsby’s latest makes an astute study of guilt, revenge, and forgiveness.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Your smartphone's voice assistant struggles to understand your accent but works perfectly for others.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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While parenting responsibilities are widely understood and sometimes better supported in the workplace, senior care still has a long way to go, Zlotsky said.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Portfolio companies benefit from the Blackstone connection, too, with BXSL providing expertise and operational support.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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The multifamily office model lets these investment arms of wealthy families pool resources, share expertise and unlock bigger deals.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The deadline day signing of Kolo Muani was a shrewd move to give him another option.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Craig has played shrewd detective Blanc in 2019’s Knives Out and 2022’s Glass Onion.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Savvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savvy. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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