Definitions

shrewd

[shrood] / ʃrud /

ADJECTIVE

clever, intelligent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

astute cagey canny crafty farsighted ingenious judicious keen penetrating perceptive probing prudent sensible sharp slick sly smart wily wise

WEAK

acute argute artful astucious brainy calculating cunning cutting deep discerning discriminating foxy heady in the know inside knowing on the inside on top of perspicacious piercing profound quick-witted sagacious savvy shark slippery smooth streetwise tricky underhand up on wised up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

blunt dull foolish honest idiotic ignorant inept obtuse senseless slow stupid unclever unintelligent unreasonable unstylish unwise

WEAK

frivolous naive unthinking

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The turn from smartphone dependency to AI is a shrewd one.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

My source remembers vividly that Mojtaba was totally besotted with the apocalypse and was also just a very shrewd, intelligent guy.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026

There are doubts about his ability to balance his natural flair with game management, but a shrewd display in Harlequins' win over Saracens in October showed he can strike it right.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

This is also shrewd administration politics—at least in the short term, and certainly in the case of Minnesota.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

“Sir Peter is a witty man and a shrewd trader, but if he had admired our things as you do, we would have been gladder to let him have them.”

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

Vocabulary lists containing shrewd

List 2

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And Then There Were None

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Much Ado About Nothing

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