clever

American  

[klev-er] / ˈklɛv ər /

adjective

• cleverer,
  comparative
• cleverest
  superlative

1. mentally bright; having sharp or quick intelligence; able.

   Synonyms:

   expert, apt, gifted, smart, quick-witted, talented, ingenious

   Antonyms:

   stupid

2. superficially skillful, witty, or original in character or construction; facile.

   It was an amusing, clever play, but of no lasting value.

3. showing inventiveness or originality; ingenious.

   His clever device was the first to solve the problem.

4. adroit with the hands or body; dexterous or nimble.

   Synonyms:

   handy, agile, skillful

   Antonyms:

   clumsy

5. Older Use.

   1. suitable; convenient; satisfactory.

   2. good-natured.

   3. handsome.

   4. in good health.

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clever British  

/ ˈklɛvə /

adjective

1. displaying sharp intelligence or mental alertness

2. adroit or dexterous, esp with the hands

3. smart in a superficial way

4. informal sly; cunning

5. dialect (predicative; used with a negative) healthy; fit

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cleverness
  noun
• overcleverness
  noun
• uncleverness
  noun
• cleverish
  adjective
• overclever
  adjective
• unclever
  adjective
• cleverishly
  adverb
• cleverly
  adverb
• overcleverly
  adverb
• uncleverly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• cleverer
  comparative
• cleverest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of clever

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English cliver, perhaps from Old English clifer “claw,” clife “burdock,” or akin to East Frisian klüfer “skillful, agile, alert”; see cleavers, cleft ¹, clove ²

Explanation

Clever may seem like a compliment, but this adjective boasts a rather broad range of meanings—from "intelligent" and "imaginative" to "calculating" or "contrived." The roots of the word clever, are unknown. It was in use colloquially long before it entered the literary record, and this may be a factor in the word's enduring suppleness. The earliest written examples of clever convey the idea of dexterity — that is, the term was used to describe someone who was good with his hands. Now, clever still means "agile" or "adroit," but it refers to mental, rather than physical, skill. Clever can also be used to describe the products of a nimble mind, such as a "clever scheme" or a "clever device."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clever cleverer cleverest

It’s a clever and nasty bit of social engineering — a bait and switch that preys on people’s curiosity and the simple pleasure of feeling included.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

The Ukrainians have learned that clever use of technology, especially AI, can decide the winner of a conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

"People delude themselves that the human race is so clever that we'll come up with some wonderful technology that'll make this all go away."

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Still, in a glutted genre, “The Devil’s Mouth” offers a clever twist, a powerful setting and, through Sara, enough character transformation to give it a toehold in Joseph Campbell’s hero-journey territory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

In books, their problems were solved in a clever thirty-two pages.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

For much of the first half Italy snapped and fizzed with more danger, throwing cleverer shapes and more accurate passes.

From BBC ● Mar. 9, 2025

But Isla understands, and we understand, that whatever she doesn’t know yet, she’s cleverer than the doubters give her credit for.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2025

"Instead it did something even cleverer — it brought together existing genes, which already do other things in different parts of the plant, to make a complicated spot on the petals that deceives male flies."

From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2023

One argument against Neanderthal intelligence was the idea that they were capable of scavenging or hunting only large prey like elephants, while cleverer humans adopted a broader diet including fatty-acid-rich fish that promoted brain development.

From New York Times ● Feb. 7, 2023

“You people are easily confused by the look of things. I’ve had my eye on him for a while now. He’s cleverer than folk give him credit for. Always looking at things and asking questions.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

One night, the five decide to bestow their honorific on Ticky, whom they consider “the cleverest of us all because you can tell the exact time without looking at a clock.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Sir Tom Stoppard was one of Britain's cleverest playwrights.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025

She’s costumed like a clown, but her screenplay is as confident as an antihero’s cleverest heist.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025

As fantastical as “Doctor Who” can get, the cleverest being in the universe always has an explanation for everything.

From Salon ● Dec. 25, 2023

“You’re the cleverest witch of your age I’ve ever met, Hermione.”

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling