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

The phrases to know so you sound clever during Fat Bear Week.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

Cruise avoids the personal by making his work inextricable from his life, thereby asking the reader to perform a clever thought exercise: What if Tom Cruise were telling the truth?

From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026

End the day with some wordplay: What’s an 11-letter word for “Hogs”? And what’s a three-letter word for a “Hog’s neighbor, maybe”? Play today’s crossword for some clever clues and interesting trivia tidbits.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

As Mr. Preston’s clever plot develops, it becomes clear that Cold War secrets explain the murders and that present-day spymasters—British and Russian—are covering their tracks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

“You humans have become far too clever to be any fun.”

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

"People much cleverer than me will say that the wage bill follows the league position, but I can't think that way," said the Newcastle boss.

From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026

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

“Who could say what sorts of patterns might give away users who thought they were cleverer than those watching them?”

From Washington Post ● Dec. 29, 2022

Nealson was cleverer than I and he confronted me before I had a chance to confront him.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

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

Roy Hattersley, who has died at the age of 93, was one of Labour's cleverest and most articulate post war politicians.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

“Back to the Future” just might be Hollywood’s richest, cleverest blockbuster — and its attention to detail deserves to be re-celebrated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025

They snap up the cleverest and most devious communicators to craft their messages, offering salaries no one else can afford.

From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2024

“You’ll be one of a select band, of the cleverest, strongest, bravest creatures ever,” bragged the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman