as in mind
the normal or healthy condition of the mental abilities
scared out of her wits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 wits
Sharpen your wits at any number of trivia nights in the area.
—
Anne Ewbank,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2026
There, Rannells matches wits with Allison Janney as the grieving widow.
—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
The Buccaneers were set to play the Vikings, and that meant Canales would be matching wits with veteran defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
An organization with its wits about it would read the room.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Just keep your wits about you in late summer, when the bears are hungriest and the trails are busiest.
—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
To convince Hannibal to cooperate, the FBI sends in Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), an agent in training who finds a way to match wits and guts with the monster in the cage.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
Unlike Skeletor, Evil-Lyn is smarter and uses her intuitive wits to get her way.
—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Rather than a cruel Hedda, a fragile Hedda, a tragically deluded Hedda, Adele saw a woman who was comically at her wits’ end.
—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Anne Ewbank,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2026
There, Rannells matches wits with Allison Janney as the grieving widow.
—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
The Buccaneers were set to play the Vikings, and that meant Canales would be matching wits with veteran defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
An organization with its wits about it would read the room.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Just keep your wits about you in late summer, when the bears are hungriest and the trails are busiest.
—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
To convince Hannibal to cooperate, the FBI sends in Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), an agent in training who finds a way to match wits and guts with the monster in the cage.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
Unlike Skeletor, Evil-Lyn is smarter and uses her intuitive wits to get her way.
—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Rather than a cruel Hedda, a fragile Hedda, a tragically deluded Hedda, Adele saw a woman who was comically at her wits’ end.
—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wits
Noun
-
Thousands of fans in Mexico lost their minds and shook the earth.
-
At the beach, maybe, at a barbecue or whatever place sets fireworks pinwheeling through your holiday-happy mind.
Noun
-
Make room for summer fun—and keep your sanity—with this quick list of things to toss from your kids’ rooms before school’s out and chaos sets in.
-
Your time, money and sanity are too precious to waste.
Cite this Entry
“Wits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wits. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
