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as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind a clever student figured out a trick to do the assignment faster

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective clever differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of clever are adroit, cunning, and ingenious. While all these words mean "having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving," clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude.

a person clever with horses

When might adroit be a better fit than clever?

The words adroit and clever can be used in similar contexts, but adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties.

an adroit negotiator

Where would cunning be a reasonable alternative to clever?

The meanings of cunning and clever largely overlap; however, cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating.

a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects

When is it sensible to use ingenious instead of clever?

While the synonyms ingenious and clever are close in meaning, ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something.

an ingenious software engineer

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 clever Andrew Mangiapane is a clever, low-risk and modest-upside pick-up to fill some of those minutes. Harman Dayal, New York Times, 11 July 2025 Light, clever, and just leftfield enough to feel like a proper find. Lela London, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025 Dubno’s novel sounds equally thoughtful and nasty, clever and juicy and full of great drama. Literary Hub july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025 Apart from the focus on products, which was so clever, the modernity of his visual approach for the exhibition makes all the pieces so accurate, desirable and fresh. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for clever
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clever
Adjective
  • WorkLife With Adam Grant Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist, delves into workplaces that have incorporated innovative strategies to make every day more productive and actually fun.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
  • Wayne Metro is helping a handful of residents, mostly in Wayne County, book their first trips, said Megan Wilk, Wayne Metro's director of innovative programs.
    Christina Hall, Freep.com, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • Operation Bounce House follows Oliver Lewis, a colonist on the planet New Sonora, who leads a simple life on his family ranch, playing with his band and tending to his family's selection of intelligent agriculture bots.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 14 July 2025
  • Some incredibly intelligent breeds, such as Border collies, German shepherds and poodles, are known for regularly hitting 1,000-word milestones.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • Honest Abe is forced to scheme, relying on grit and cunning to win the votes to abolish slavery.
    EW Staff Published, EW.com, 4 July 2025
  • Of all the acts, though, Sudanese American vocalist Dua Saleh was the most subdued, swaying between heart-fluttering falsettos and cunning raps.
    Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • This breezy placement thrives on intellectual stimulation, witty banter and an array of options.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 23 July 2025
  • Wee-hours talk shows have for decades operated on the premise that the hosts served as gentle entertainers who could help audiences go off to sleep after some light banter, witty conversation and a few celebrity encounters.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 July 2025
Adjective
  • It is still cited today as a game-changing movie thanks to its inventive, kinetic animation style.
    Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2025
  • The empty hotel became a favorite home for inventive squatters seeking shelter as electricity and water were still available.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025
Adjective
  • Room 11, 10-11 a.m. San Diego International Children’s Film Festival The San Diego International Children’s Film Festival features creative, exciting, and imaginative short films from around the world—animation, live-action, and documentary—good for all ages.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2025
  • Thanks to a script by Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon, the new Freaky plays the obvious gags in ways both surprising and imaginative.
    Kirk Honeycutt, HollywoodReporter, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • If you’re just getting started with rebounding and want something compact and easy to use (that doesn’t cost a small fortune), here’s a smart entry point.
    Jordan Galloway, SELF, 15 July 2025
  • Snack smart: Choose snack foods that are good sources of proteins, such as a handful of nuts, seeds, or edamame.
    Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • The show was a touchstone for many in Generation X — a humorous depiction of family life, only the family was middle-class and Black, something that had never been shown on TV before.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
  • The plot moves along at a clip with time for small character subplots and humorous banter between big action set pieces.
    Scott Phillips, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Clever.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clever. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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