1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
her sharp-witted questions always cut right to the core of the issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind
a TV game show that allows sharp-witted contestants to show their stuff
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of sharp-witted
Simbi Khali played Nina Campbell, the sharp-witted assistant who often reacted to the Solomons’ antics with amused disbelief.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
More than 40 years after Paula Poundstone first appeared on late-night, the comedian is still performing her sharp-witted brand of comedy.
—Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
In the film, Tyler, the Creator — credited under his full name, Tyler Okonma — plays Wally, a sharp-witted taxi driver who, like Chalamet’s Marty Mauser, is a ping-pong obsessive.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
And Sister Bernadette, 88, regularly shares sharp-witted observations about matters both sacred and secular over a ritual cup of coffee.
—Esme Nicholson, NPR, 1 Dec. 2025
On Christmas Eve, Cliff (Strassner), a down-on-his luck comedian who can’t catch a break, chips a tooth, and suddenly finds himself in the late-night care of Didi (Liz Larsen), a sharp-witted, no-nonsense dentist.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
After Diablo Cody’s Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay for Juno (2007), the screenwriter followed up the breakout hit with this sharp-witted, gory take on female rage and power dynamics.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2025
Known primarily for his genre-defining work in music, Rocky’s latest turn as Yung Felon — a sharp-witted, ambitious rap artist — places him directly alongside screen legend Denzel Washington in some of the film’s most talked-about scenes.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
More than 40 years after Paula Poundstone first appeared on late-night, the comedian is still performing her sharp-witted brand of comedy.
—Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
In the film, Tyler, the Creator — credited under his full name, Tyler Okonma — plays Wally, a sharp-witted taxi driver who, like Chalamet’s Marty Mauser, is a ping-pong obsessive.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
And Sister Bernadette, 88, regularly shares sharp-witted observations about matters both sacred and secular over a ritual cup of coffee.
—Esme Nicholson, NPR, 1 Dec. 2025
On Christmas Eve, Cliff (Strassner), a down-on-his luck comedian who can’t catch a break, chips a tooth, and suddenly finds himself in the late-night care of Didi (Liz Larsen), a sharp-witted, no-nonsense dentist.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
After Diablo Cody’s Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay for Juno (2007), the screenwriter followed up the breakout hit with this sharp-witted, gory take on female rage and power dynamics.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2025
Known primarily for his genre-defining work in music, Rocky’s latest turn as Yung Felon — a sharp-witted, ambitious rap artist — places him directly alongside screen legend Denzel Washington in some of the film’s most talked-about scenes.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharp-witted
Adjective
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And my initial job and focus was working for the chief digital officer at the time who was a really smart guy.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The long-standing challenge of smart fibers For years, researchers have tried to make smart fibers—materials that change shape when exposed to electricity, light, heat, or changes in acidity.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In addition, Kravitz regularly serves as an appeal host, supporting nonprofit organizations in raising funds through emotionally intelligent storytelling and crowd engagement.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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An authority figure might be quite impressed by your speedy progress or intelligent questions.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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All this is strange and disappointing, because Holmes is a gifted biographer, not to mention a fluent translator of science and an astute reader of poetry.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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But the astute self-awareness ends there.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Russia has been overtly aggressive while China is more clever and subtle, using tactics such as intellectual property theft and economic penetration of less developed countries.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
From storage helpers to laundry and cleaning aids, try one of these clever uses for old pillowcases.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But those picks came in the shrewd trade of quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
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Those numbers are a result of both Buffett’s shrewd calls on stocks that ended up being undervalued, as well as recent policy changes in Japan, including widespread corporate governance reform and new pro-growth government rules and spending that have benefited technology companies.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Use citrus peels or baking soda with vinegar for a quick and natural way to clean and deodorize the garbage disposal effectively.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Trump’s response to this has been to float policies that promise a quick hit of relief.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Goldsberry will play Renee, a brilliant opposing attorney who has a professional and romantic history with Michael, and Stiller as Christy, a young assistant at the new start-up law firm in Cupertino that’s at the heart of the story.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
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Wrestling with heartbreak and critics who didn’t understand him, and trying to find his place in a post-Sixties Watergate America, culminated in eight brilliant songs that hardcore Young fans love to endlessly talk about — more than Young sure ever did.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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What India is doing could also be mirrored in other emerging economies, which may be able to harness increasingly cheap wind and solar at an even faster rate to power their economic development, Bond said.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Performance gains in cars, drones, and robots In laboratory tests, the system processed motion data four times faster than current state-of-the-art algorithms.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sharp-witted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharp-witted. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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