as in wise
formal
having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious
She considers herself a perspicacious judge of character. The critic made some perspicacious observations about the film.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of perspicacious
Forty-five years have passed since the late Professor Price coined his perspicacious term.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 3 Nov. 2010
If a new Bridgerton-sibling romance each season is the series’ gimmick, then Penelope has proven to be its soul—a vividly realistic protagonist whose perspicacious alter ego tethered each fairytale courtship to earth.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 14 June 2024
More perspicacious than angry invective alone, that alchemy of tones has been her signature since the early ’90s, when a 20-something Hanna fronted Bikini Kill, the punk band that became the most visible act associated with the third-wave feminist movement known as riot grrrl.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
One of the few perspicacious journalists of the Trump era, Graeme Wood, put it pithily: The Deep State is in the White House, and Trump appointed it.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 13 Dec. 2023
With the help of friends in the publishing world, Jaffrey’s draft landed in the hands of the perspicacious Knopf editor Judith Jones in 1971.
—Mayukh Sen, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
Photographs show Pym looking jolly and perspicacious, with charmingly crooked English teeth.
—Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
This particular Ferrari F50 was delivered new, in 1996, to Étienne Léandri, a defense lawyer and perspicacious Ferrari collector from Monaco.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2022
IEEE Spectrum, 3 Nov. 2010
If a new Bridgerton-sibling romance each season is the series’ gimmick, then Penelope has proven to be its soul—a vividly realistic protagonist whose perspicacious alter ego tethered each fairytale courtship to earth.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 14 June 2024
More perspicacious than angry invective alone, that alchemy of tones has been her signature since the early ’90s, when a 20-something Hanna fronted Bikini Kill, the punk band that became the most visible act associated with the third-wave feminist movement known as riot grrrl.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
One of the few perspicacious journalists of the Trump era, Graeme Wood, put it pithily: The Deep State is in the White House, and Trump appointed it.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 13 Dec. 2023
With the help of friends in the publishing world, Jaffrey’s draft landed in the hands of the perspicacious Knopf editor Judith Jones in 1971.
—Mayukh Sen, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023
Photographs show Pym looking jolly and perspicacious, with charmingly crooked English teeth.
—Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
This particular Ferrari F50 was delivered new, in 1996, to Étienne Léandri, a defense lawyer and perspicacious Ferrari collector from Monaco.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perspicacious
Adjective
-
Other characters include a talkative nurse, a wise parrot named Leonard, and a grumpy cat named Bitchy.—
Duante Beddingfield,
Freep.com,
30 July 2025
-
Chekhov’s imagination is too wise and subtle for that.—
Philip Metres
July 30,
Literary Hub,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
This film will not only pay tribute to his career, but to his brilliant mind and unwavering determination.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
28 July 2025
-
This year’s summer fashion trends have been dominated by simple patterns, breezy fabrics, and fluttery silhouettes—all of which are brilliant additions to your summer travel wardrobe thanks to their versatility and packability.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
That includes clever storage and organizers, which are currently up to 70 percent off this month.—
Rylee Johnston,
People.com,
27 July 2025
-
This is not just a clever design feature but a strategic sustainability solution.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
Operation Bounce House follows Oliver Lewis, a colonist on the planet New Sonora, who leads a simple life on his family ranch, playing with his band and tending to his family's selection of intelligent agriculture bots.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
14 July 2025
-
These earbuds feature intelligent noise control, which removes up to twice as much background noise as previous AirPods models.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
If you’re just getting started with rebounding and want something compact and easy to use (that doesn’t cost a small fortune), here’s a smart entry point.—
Jordan Galloway,
SELF,
15 July 2025
-
If your primary goal is to maximize workspace while ensuring your computer can grow with your needs, a mini-PC paired with a quality monitor is a smarter, longer-lasting solution.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Though some residents are not keen on seeing alligators in the wild, the animals are just as terrified of humans as humans are of them.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Clubs in the Saudi Pro League expressed their interest in signing Son, but the forward is keen on joining LAFC, where former Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris currently stars and where ex-Spurs great Gareth Bale won an MLS Cup.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Physicists are creating quantum computers with exceptional computing speeds, enabling a new kind of analytics and cryptography.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
If De La Cruz is better to his left because Hayes is on his right, the infield should be relatively airtight with second baseman Matt McLain and Spencer Steer, who has quickly become an exceptional defensive first baseman.—
C. Trent Rosecrans,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
Beyond that, Davis aims to beat the averages by astute management of the land.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
This is also an astute question about this television program.—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perspicacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacious. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share