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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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
The shrewd, long-serving Obama hands Jarrett and Tina Tchen coached this project through all the minefields Chicago inevitably put in its way.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
The 56-year-old Iranian American, who grew up in Los Angeles, is the architect of shrewd moves that have brought Paramount within reach of its blockbuster merger that would redefine Hollywood.
—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
The team's 11 straight playoff wins follow years of deliberate, shrewd team-building that strayed from the high-risk, instant gratification personnel moves that marked much of the Dolan era.
—
Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
And don’t forgot he was brought in by Donna Langley, the longtime Universal movie chief who has rocketed up the ranks to serve as content chief of the vast NBCUniversal empire, and who is known for her shrewd ability to spot and, more importantly, win over emerging talent, including Jordan Peele.
—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
The 56-year-old Iranian American, who grew up in Los Angeles, is the architect of shrewd moves that have brought Paramount within reach of its blockbuster merger that would redefine Hollywood.
—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
The team's 11 straight playoff wins follow years of deliberate, shrewd team-building that strayed from the high-risk, instant gratification personnel moves that marked much of the Dolan era.
—
Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
And don’t forgot he was brought in by Donna Langley, the longtime Universal movie chief who has rocketed up the ranks to serve as content chief of the vast NBCUniversal empire, and who is known for her shrewd ability to spot and, more importantly, win over emerging talent, including Jordan Peele.
—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrewd
Adjective
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But behind every chatbot, smart assistant and AI image generator sits a massive physical network.
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The plot sees Bonnie, now eight, increasingly drawn to a smart tablet, Lilypad, challenging her traditional toys led by Jessie.
Adjective
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Looking for a silver lining Some analysts fear that the friction over the 250th celebrations, especially the national ones, may end up reinforcing the nation's bitter divide rather than providing a respite from it.
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This inverts the usual analysis of American politics, that our bitter culture wars will always resolve down to questions like affordability.
Adjective
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Daemon is one of the most clever, cunning and conniving characters in House of the Dragon, who always seems to have the upper hand.
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Under this light, Penelope emerges as exemplary, cunning, wounded, and trapped by the male order that praises her.
Adjective
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Forget about the astute narration (barbershops, bankers and roundabouts).
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The two were walking around the Hotel Royal in Evian-les-Bains, France, when the conversation was overheard by astute observers.
Adjective
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Davidson had leveled the same line of criticism against Conley in one of the primary race's few sharp clashes.
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In sharp contrast, the UPEPA tracks the existing summary judgment standard which only looks to whether a minimum of evidence exists and does not require the court to decide issues of facts.
Adjective
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Serve this sweet-and-spicy salad with your favorite cute cocktail picks for a fresh-and-fun summer appetizer.
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Baby raccoons, for example, are very cute, but their mother may have made a den in the attic, crawl space, or shed, which can be bad for them and for the homeowner.
Adjective
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Even the most technology-savvy leaders are still pondering and probing where the ceiling is in terms of containing agent sprawl and complexity.
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Perhaps his savviest move, however, was a legendary backend deal that grants him a perpetual cut of revenue from Universal theme park attractions based on his blockbusters.
Adjective
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So Google isn’t trying to release more biting mosquitoes into neighborhoods.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrewd. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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