1
as in innovative
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing
an inventor who was constantly coming up with clever devices for doing everyday chores
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind
a clever student figured out a trick to do the assignment faster
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3
as in cunning
skillful with the hands
the Shakers were clever artisans who created many ingenious and highly useful devices
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4
as in witty
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor
a clever joke that requires a little bit of thought on the part of the listener
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5
as in inventive
having the skill and imagination to create new things
I wonder what clever person thought of the digital camera
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clever
Yes, which makes Shildt’s clever analogy to the 1980s video not quite fit last night.
—
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025
Trending Stories The cannabis industry’s technology renaissance is more than a clever workaround but a playbook for future-facing retail.
—Peter Su, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2025
In Santa Fe, over the course of four days filled with fashion, panels, and parties, Native Fashion Week opened at the Santa Fe Railyard, a clever homage to Native peoples’ complicated history with the railroad systems built throughout the 19th century.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
That usually rules out new policy prescriptions, though lawmakers in both parties try to find clever ways to squeeze them in; the 2017 tax bill effectively killed Obamacare’s individual mandate by zeroing out its tax penalty.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clever
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025
Trending Stories The cannabis industry’s technology renaissance is more than a clever workaround but a playbook for future-facing retail.
—Peter Su, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2025
In Santa Fe, over the course of four days filled with fashion, panels, and parties, Native Fashion Week opened at the Santa Fe Railyard, a clever homage to Native peoples’ complicated history with the railroad systems built throughout the 19th century.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
That usually rules out new policy prescriptions, though lawmakers in both parties try to find clever ways to squeeze them in; the 2017 tax bill effectively killed Obamacare’s individual mandate by zeroing out its tax penalty.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clever
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clever
Adjective
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This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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The big shift occurred when SpaceX put considerable money and effort into perfecting an innovative system to soft-land the rocket's booster stage for refurbishment and reuse.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Second, a human must be kept in the loop of intelligent machine decision-making processes.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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In 1950 the Italian physicist Enrico Fermi was discussing the possibility of intelligent alien life with his colleagues.—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Hawkins knows exactly how to play Laura’s cheery psychopathy and cunning cruelties, and Wong, in her first film role, gives Piper a spirited independence.—
Jeannette Catsoulis,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Rigg’s voice is sharp and engrossing, her characters cunning but affable.—
Isle McElroy,
Vulture,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Adding witty sayings to the leaves of handheld fans, Knighten wanted to make a statement with her products in a fun and unique way.—
Ruth Etiesit Samuel,
Essence,
4 June 2025
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This bold, witty new play follows two sets of Armenian Americans: one man fighting for legal recognition in the 1920s, while a century later, his descendant fights for followers and a competent glam team.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Hiccup is an inventive, awkward teen who's an outsider among his fellow Vikings.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
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Alexander-Arnold had long been an inventive force in England and would have added to his scrapbook of spectacular assists and goals as coach Arne Slot’s squad seeks more trophies.—
Henry Flynn,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Lent by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Bronze Age vessels for food and wine and imaginative animal sculptures are on view for the first time in New York through July 13.—
Jane Levere,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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In recent years, other artists have released similarly imaginative rerecordings.—
Tyler Foggatt,
New Yorker,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Moreover, waving the flag of a foreign country isn’t prideful, or politically smart in the least.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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With the longer battery life, lighter design and smart safety features, this jetpack is definitely for anyone looking to make their underwater adventures more exciting.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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In his feature debut, Dupont follows the two men with a sense of empathetic detachment and an appreciation for fine detail and humorous dialogue.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
3 June 2025
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Popular posts might feature a photo with a humorous caption, an anonymous confession, or a detailed technical answer to a complex question.—
Dan Cody
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clever.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clever. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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