1
: having or showing the insight, intelligence, and understanding to make good judgments about practical matters (as business or finance)
a shrewd investor
made some shrewd business moves
a coach with a shrewd eye for talent
2
3
archaic
: mischievous
shrewdly
adverb
shrewdness
noun
Examples of shrewd in a Sentence
According to Frank Luntz, Republican pollster and spinmeister, these younger working women with small children are critical swing voters. By dint of focus groups and shrewd professional questioning, Luntz has determined what these women need most—more time in their lives. He seemed to regard this finding as a considerable coup.
—
Molly Ivins, Mother Jones, September/October 2004
When Ann Richards fractured her hand in a fall nine years ago, she went to the doctor for a bone density test only to learn that she had … an early form of osteoporosis. The diagnosis spurred the former Texas governor, whose mother and grandmother also suffered from the disease, to write I'm Not Slowing Down: Winning My Battle with Osteoporosis … an inspiring little volume filled with the author's shrewd insights into healthcare, gender and, yes, politics.
—Julie Hale, Book Page, August 2003
One shrewd political tactician who knew what it was like to lose a close election watched Goldwater closely. Nixon had an eye on a comeback in 1968 and knew he needed the South—all of it this time.
—Jon Meacham, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2002
But a growing empire produces tough challenges. Winfrey is used to ironclad control. A shrewd businesswoman, she still signs all the checks of more than $1,000 for her Harpo Entertainment Group, and she meticulously scrutinizes the smaller ones that others sign for her.
—Lynette Clemetson, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2001
She's shrewd about her investments.
a shrewd used car dealer who knew how to make the best possible deal
Molly Ivins, Mother Jones, September/October 2004
When Ann Richards fractured her hand in a fall nine years ago, she went to the doctor for a bone density test only to learn that she had … an early form of osteoporosis. The diagnosis spurred the former Texas governor, whose mother and grandmother also suffered from the disease, to write I'm Not Slowing Down: Winning My Battle with Osteoporosis … an inspiring little volume filled with the author's shrewd insights into healthcare, gender and, yes, politics.
—Julie Hale, Book Page, August 2003
One shrewd political tactician who knew what it was like to lose a close election watched Goldwater closely. Nixon had an eye on a comeback in 1968 and knew he needed the South—all of it this time.
—Jon Meacham, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2002
But a growing empire produces tough challenges. Winfrey is used to ironclad control. A shrewd businesswoman, she still signs all the checks of more than $1,000 for her Harpo Entertainment Group, and she meticulously scrutinizes the smaller ones that others sign for her.
—Lynette Clemetson, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2001
She's shrewd about her investments.
a shrewd used car dealer who knew how to make the best possible deal
Recent Examples on the Web
As speaker and House Democrats' leader, Pelosi was known for her shrewd political judgment and incisive skills as a legislative strategist.
—NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
Well, in a shrewd bit of scheduling, just as its fifth series concludes, Apple TV is premiering yet another Mick Herron adaptation centered around the bumbling inner workings of British government, starring an Oscar-winning national treasure to boot.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
The soap opera veteran, who has spent more than five decades playing farm girl–turned–shrewd businesswoman Maggie Horton, recently revealed her cancer battle during a conversation with TV Insider.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
At the story’s center is Musashi, a boy raised by dogs at the bottom of society’s hierarchy, who teams up with Kikuchiyo, a shrewd producer, and Leo, an inventive genius, to fight their way to the top.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
Well, in a shrewd bit of scheduling, just as its fifth series concludes, Apple TV is premiering yet another Mick Herron adaptation centered around the bumbling inner workings of British government, starring an Oscar-winning national treasure to boot.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
The soap opera veteran, who has spent more than five decades playing farm girl–turned–shrewd businesswoman Maggie Horton, recently revealed her cancer battle during a conversation with TV Insider.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
At the story’s center is Musashi, a boy raised by dogs at the bottom of society’s hierarchy, who teams up with Kikuchiyo, a shrewd producer, and Leo, an inventive genius, to fight their way to the top.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrewd. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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