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
John Malone, the shrewd and far-sighted media mogul and key ally of David Zaslav, has decided not to stand for re-election to Warner Bros. Discovery‘s board of directors.
—
Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Unlike Malone’s many shrewd moves over decades in the media business, however, the WBD merger hasn’t yet borne fruit.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
Chain-of-Density (CoD) Prompting A shrewd method of devising summaries involves a clever prompting strategy known as chain-of-density (CoD), which aims to bolster generative AI toward attaining especially superb or at least better-than-usual summaries.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Ford’s shrewd boss, Robert McNamara, was ready to kill the nameplate altogether, facing another homely redesign approved for 1961.
—Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Unlike Malone’s many shrewd moves over decades in the media business, however, the WBD merger hasn’t yet borne fruit.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
Chain-of-Density (CoD) Prompting A shrewd method of devising summaries involves a clever prompting strategy known as chain-of-density (CoD), which aims to bolster generative AI toward attaining especially superb or at least better-than-usual summaries.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Ford’s shrewd boss, Robert McNamara, was ready to kill the nameplate altogether, facing another homely redesign approved for 1961.
—Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrewd
Adjective
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Daisy Ridley's Rey is wicked smart and a capable hero in a universe with the baddies of the First Order on the warpath.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
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The company says its goal is to help small teams power smarter, faster growth without technical overhead.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
Adjective
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Her coverage has ranged from a rare interview with Mark Zuckerberg as Meta neared its 20th birthday to the bitter divorce proceedings of an Indian software billionaire.—
Kerry A. Dolan,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Trump's second term kicked off late January with mass layoffs in the federal government, widespread tariffs, an escalating trade war with China and a deportation program that has led to a bitter court battle.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Esme forgoes a generic entreaty at the feet of her girlboss and instead makes a cunning personal plea for better judgment from her mentor.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
25 Apr. 2025
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John Krasinski plays Luke, a cunning art thief in the action adventure thriller Fountain of Youth, and puts his skills to good use.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This is an astute observation from perhaps hockey’s most astute coach.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Financially, few compare to Tottenham Hotspur’s astute business acumen, as football finance expert at the University of Liverpool Kieran Maguire pointed out on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast recently.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The aviation industry expects the exemption to help companies keep costs down during a sharp pullback in travel spending by consumers worried about slower economic growth and higher inflation.—
Rajesh Kumar Singh,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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The sharpest attacks, however, were leveled against Adam Smith, the Scottish economist who became the perfect straw-man for early American protectionists.—
Made by History,
Time,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At a press screening of the film in March, these cute, interstitial clips drew big laughs.—
Eric Renner Brown,
Billboard,
7 May 2025
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Wine corks also make cute place card holders and wine glass charms.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 May 2025
Adjective
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Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Samantha Neely,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
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The growth of Berkshire Hathaway into one of the world’s most valuable companies has been a beacon for how a portfolio of savvy investments and a commitment to solid operating principles can drive long-term wealth.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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During the taping of a recent Netflix special, Kyle Dunnigan impersonated Musk onstage in a biting parody—the audience laughed, but Rogan sat mostly silent, avoiding eye contact, appearing unwilling to signal disloyalty to the tech mogul.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
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Its biting satire is complimented by engaging mechanics like the stratagems.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
28 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrewd. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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