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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrewd
The Seahawks crossed the finish line because of shrewd additions.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
With many needs and little cap space available, Goff’s contract was a logical next step to free up space in a hurry after some notable shrewd moves this offseason.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
But there is shrewd anxiety at the root of his public fumbling.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
For the past 35 years, Colleen Murphy has been in the front ranks of protecting our right to know, many of those years as the shrewd general of the ragtag good government army.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
With many needs and little cap space available, Goff’s contract was a logical next step to free up space in a hurry after some notable shrewd moves this offseason.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
But there is shrewd anxiety at the root of his public fumbling.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
For the past 35 years, Colleen Murphy has been in the front ranks of protecting our right to know, many of those years as the shrewd general of the ragtag good government army.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrewd
Adjective
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Going beyond the basics of a typical smart scale, the MorphoScan breaks down segmental muscle and fat for each arm, each leg, and your torso, similar to a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan, which is essentially a medical imagery test to gauge these same attributes.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
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Police in Ann Arbor want all fans coming to town to celebrate this weekend to make smart decisions.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Prices run from €16 for a burrata cheese and tomato bruschetta to €25 for foie gras with bitter marmalade.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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Schottenheimer’s latest comments inject optimism and a sense of patience from the Cowboys’ sideline, pushing back against speculation of a bitter standoff or imminent trade.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In state media comedy shows, jokes about Putin are told from time to time, but they are used to bolster his image as a powerful, cunning leader, and hold up Russia as a great country.—
Neringa Klumbytė,
The Conversation,
4 Mar. 2026
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These ambitious, cunning, and often amoral Cold War operatives were usually marginal or even inconsequential figures at home.—
Alfred McCoy,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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There are also deleted scenes and a trailer, and an accompanying booklet is stuffed with informative essays and interviews (including an analysis by the always astute film noir expert Travis Woods).—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
1 Apr. 2026
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This hotel offers good deals for its prime location on Saint-Paul, easily Old Montreal's nicest shopping street, so the guests are astute travelers with taste.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The first was a gentle bell curve; the second was a jagged line, with two sharp peaks—one on the left, the other on the right.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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The 5-foot-9 rookie infielder looks like a special hitter with sharp instincts on the basepaths.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Best Amazon Shoes and Accessories Deals Round out your spring wardrobe with supportive shoes, cute bags, and fun accessories from brands like Brooks, Kate Spade, and Kendra Scott.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
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In the middle of the garden is a seating area with simple but cute second-hand furniture and a three-tier stone fountain from Backyard X-Scapes on Sorrento Valley Road.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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But Lloyd’s savvy recruiting brought players such as Ronny Turiaf (from France), Domantas Sabonis (from Lithuania) and Rui Hachimura (from Japan) to Spokane, and in return earned him his head coach’s trust.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Much like the days getting longer and the air less biting, a sure harbinger that spring is coming is the 33rd annual West Suburban Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Naperville.—
Annie Alleman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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As the nation bonded as one over the past two weeks biting nails, screaming at wins, wincing at crashes and choking up at all the beautiful moments of Olympic competition, another group of athletes were – and still are – out honing their multi-level championship skills.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrewd. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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