1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comfortable
chiefly Scottish
enjoying physical comfort
warm and canny under the woolen bedcovers, we didn't mind the chilly Scottish nights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canny
In Babygirl, the girlboss isn’t being vilified or even critiqued, but explored with a canny interest.
—
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Much has been made of his Nikes, and the Church’s decision to display him this way has always struck me as a canny bit of image-making.
—Emily Harnett, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Sam was the canny Shubert, the vaguely artistic Shubert, the thought-to-be-maybe-gay Shubert.
—Frank Rich, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
This potentially opens up the arrangement to challenge by activists such as Max Schrems, a canny Austrian privacy advocate, whose legal complaints led to the collapse of two previous arrangements.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Much has been made of his Nikes, and the Church’s decision to display him this way has always struck me as a canny bit of image-making.
—Emily Harnett, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Sam was the canny Shubert, the vaguely artistic Shubert, the thought-to-be-maybe-gay Shubert.
—Frank Rich, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
This potentially opens up the arrangement to challenge by activists such as Max Schrems, a canny Austrian privacy advocate, whose legal complaints led to the collapse of two previous arrangements.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canny
Adjective
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The organization will help fund new ideas in smart home technologies, energy efficiency, digitization, safety and more.—
Jennifer Bradley Franklin,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
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Ushering In The Electrification Era Technologies enabling smart renewable energy solutions, reliable battery-management systems and sustainable manufacturing practices are central to our electricity infrastructure.—
Henrik Mannesson,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Score savings on summer clothes and comfortable sneakers that are currently $17 with a flash discount.—
Isabel Garcia,
People.com,
4 June 2025
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Final Thoughts There is no one-size-fits-all amount that can guarantee a comfortable retirement.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The people that farm or garden are very interesting, very resourceful, very astute.—
Greg Allen,
NPR,
1 June 2025
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Patti LuPone, fresh off the set of And Just Like That…, has caused an internet kerfuffle with her astute (and deliciously eloquent) jabs at costars, former lovers, theatergoers, and even Times Square pedestrians in her recent profile in The New Yorker.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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After an afternoon strolling through Historic Georgetown, come back to the hotel for a quick change and a pre-dinner drink at Eliza’s, the relaxed, open-air waterfront bar at the back of the property.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
7 June 2025
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The garden level features a private patio with an outdoor kitchenette, while sliding glass doors connect a relaxed seating area off the home’s secondary kitchen to a rear garden with a mudroom and bike storage.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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To the world, Seema is a shrewd real estate broker.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
28 May 2025
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Wonderfully surreal, completely original, and frequently hilarious, La Máquina — which also stars Eiza González (3 Body Problem) as Eduardo’s shrewd ex-wife, Irasema — packs a powerful punch.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Five Strategic Lessons For A CMO’s Met Gala Playbook The Met Gala is a little bit celebrity pageantry, and a lot of savvy marketing built on smart, long-game cultural fluency.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
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Machado is among the league’s savviest baserunners.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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