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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrewd
Ever the shrewd businessman and strange inventive mind, the funeral parlour owner went about redecorating the back storage room in the Old West style, adding wagon wheels and cactus plants, installing a set of swinging saloon doors at the threshold.
—
Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
The Thunder’s championship run was the product of shrewd front office decisions, patient development, and a little bit of luck.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 23 June 2025
Were these the shrewd moves of a wunderkind on the doorstep of a historic election upset?
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
The Buss dynasty has reigned over the NBA since 1979, when Jerry Buss bought the Los Angeles Lakers in what has proved to be one of the shrewdest deals in sports history.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
The Thunder’s championship run was the product of shrewd front office decisions, patient development, and a little bit of luck.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 23 June 2025
Were these the shrewd moves of a wunderkind on the doorstep of a historic election upset?
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
The Buss dynasty has reigned over the NBA since 1979, when Jerry Buss bought the Los Angeles Lakers in what has proved to be one of the shrewdest deals in sports history.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrewd
Adjective
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If you’re just getting started with rebounding and want something compact and easy to use (that doesn’t cost a small fortune), here’s a smart entry point.—
Jordan Galloway,
SELF,
15 July 2025
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Instead of chasing trends, smart companies stay committed to long-term brand building and reputation management.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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There were no bitter comments blaming liberal forest-management policies.—
Nick Allardice,
Time,
10 July 2025
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Public records show the home belongs to former Councilman Bill Sanders, who ran for mayor and lost last year after a years-long history of bitter clashes with other city officials and staff.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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The Residence starred Uzo Aduba as quirky detective Cordelia Cupp, who uses her cunning intellect and obsessive bird-watching abilities to crack otherwise unsolvable cases.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
2 July 2025
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As for steps that could be taken in the nineteenth century, Lyell managed to invent a cunning way to determine the relative age of geological strata.—
Lewis Hyde,
Harpers Magazine,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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As many of our astute commenters guessed, between the peeing on himself and the trouble getting it up, Harry Goldenblatt has prostate cancer.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
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An astute and compassionate portrait of sisterhood, flaws and all, the dynamics between the characters are sublime.—
Fran Littlewood
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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The screen is bright and sharp enough, the speakers aren't bad, and the cameras are 1080p.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
9 July 2025
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Elevate the Rugby Shirt With Leggings and Loafers An oversized rugby shirt paired with slim pants and a turtleneck makes for a sharp, unexpected combination.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Oh, and the best pairs of the bunch are also plain old comfy (and cute, in a gorpcore kind of way).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
7 July 2025
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July 6, 2025: Rodman watching Shelton’s match at Wimbledon is so cute the ESPN announcer literally giggles trying to talk about them.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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Contributing: Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
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Similarly, the winning formula behind Mamdani’s campaign – savvy use of social media – is not particularly hard for other progressive candidates to replicate.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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Attendees in The Hague have framed the defense spending pledge and snappy communique as a response to the threat of Russia, not just the biting condemnation of the U.S. president.—
Ellie Cook — reporting from The Hague,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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As always, Danan’s voice is hysterically funny, her characters’ exhibiting a wry and biting sense of humor.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrewd. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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