1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a shrewd used car dealer who knew how to make the best possible deal shrewd investments that paid off big
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2
as in bitter
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
she pulled her coat tighter against the shrewd breeze whipping down the alley
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3
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a shrewd operator in the real estate game, she made every buyer think they were getting the deal of the century
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Recent Examples of shrewd
In between shout-outs from the crowd, Colbert played it straight, rattling off jokes about the day’s headlines, revealing one last First Draft, and sharing shrewd bits of history about The Ed Sullivan Theater.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Greg, a billionaire and a large shareholder of BRK, has proven to be a shrewd operator of BRK’s energy business.
—Vitaliy Katsenelson, Fortune, 14 May 2026
After more than 50 years in the industry, however, Deborah is a shrewd businesswoman.
—Caroline Framke, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
But another Cox trade — sending pitcher Doyle Alexander to Detroit for a minor-leaguer named John Smoltz in 1987 — is considered one of the shrewdest in baseball history.
—Mark Bradley For The Ajc, AJC.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Greg, a billionaire and a large shareholder of BRK, has proven to be a shrewd operator of BRK’s energy business.
—Vitaliy Katsenelson, Fortune, 14 May 2026
After more than 50 years in the industry, however, Deborah is a shrewd businesswoman.
—Caroline Framke, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
But another Cox trade — sending pitcher Doyle Alexander to Detroit for a minor-leaguer named John Smoltz in 1987 — is considered one of the shrewdest in baseball history.
—Mark Bradley For The Ajc, AJC.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrewd
Adjective
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Lane pointed to Adams State’s direct admissions program as a smart intervention that attracts students who might have otherwise overlooked college.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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The next generation of commerce may not belong solely to the smartest AI models, but to the companies who are most capable of balancing complexity on the business side, while delivering trust and simplicity on the consumer side.—
Jacques Ledbetter,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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This collection of poems—Orr’s thirteenth—bears bitter witness to environmental degradation, moral corruption, and the aging of a body and of a generation, all viewed from a bird’s eye, wrapped in the language and tone of myth.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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Latest in bitter back-and-forth The sour words about each candidate’s PAC connections are only the latest in a bitter back-and-forth between the two Democrat women.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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What could be more cunning and disgusting than training dogs to commit anal rape?—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
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Dano’s static line delivery gets used for a chilling but laconic effect as his character’s cunning political negotiations lead to deadly outcomes.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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While the criticism is well deserved, to its credit, the report does make a handful of astute observations that Democrats would be wise not to dismiss.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
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The Cult Content Boom The three-part series, however, is grounded with an astute cast, headed by former cult member Hoyt Richards, a 1980s and ’90s supermodel, the face of global campaigns for Versace, Valentino, Cartier and Ralph Lauren.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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The entrepreneurs best positioned for the years ahead aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets or the sharpest marketing.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Fishermen say increasing competition has spurred a sharp rise in armed conflict, especially between fisherfolk from the Turkana and Dassanech ethnic groups.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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Right now, the comfy-cute cute walking shoes are on sale from just $55.—
Ruby McAuliffe,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
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My favorites include breezy linen co-ords, casual-but-cute loungewear sets, and elevated athleisure styles that work for basically everything — starting at $21.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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So whether solo maxxing is a savvy financial commitment or isolation masked as self-care, Meyer suspects the dating economy will bend toward whoever makes connection feel less depleting.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
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The Nuggets have pulled off two of the savviest signings of the last two years, in terms of regular-season production relative to salary.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
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The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrewd. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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