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
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.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
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The plot sees Bonnie, now eight, increasingly drawn to a smart tablet, Lilypad, challenging her traditional toys led by Jessie.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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The ruling adds to a string of legal setbacks for Musk in his increasingly bitter feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
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While this winter was colder and snowier than previous years, snowfall on the ground acted much like a blanket for ticks, providing shelter and warmth against the bitter cold temperatures.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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Seehorn’s indelible portrayal of the cunning Kim Wexler transformed the character from one-off love interest to irreplaceable mainstay, and thus, a partnership was born.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
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But statistics fail to convey the humanity of yard sales—the caprice, whimsy, and high spirits, as well as the cunning, weirdness, and heartbreak, that charge and thicken the air when two people agree to perform an off-the-books monetary transaction.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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Forget about the astute narration (barbershops, bankers and roundabouts).—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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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.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The rotations were sharp, hedges were hard and defensive possessions ended one-and-done.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
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Perrotta’s novels have been lavishly praised for their uncanny ability to articulate dark, often uncomfortable emotional truths of American culture, using humor and sharp observational skills to explore profound shifts in how people communicate and coexist.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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Serve this sweet-and-spicy salad with your favorite cute cocktail picks for a fresh-and-fun summer appetizer.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
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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.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
20 June 2026
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.—
Joe McKendrick,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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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.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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So Google isn’t trying to release more biting mosquitoes into neighborhoods.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrewd. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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