shrewd
Americanadjective
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having or showing astute or sharp judgment in practical matters, sometimes at the cost of moral compromise.
a shrewd businessman.
- Synonyms:
- intelligent, discriminating, keen, sagacious, perspicacious, perceptive, discerning, quick
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cunning or tricky; artful.
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shrewd pain.
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Archaic. mischievous; naughty.
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Obsolete. malicious or evil; bad.
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Obsolete. shrewish.
adjective
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astute and penetrating, often with regard to business
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artful and crafty
a shrewd politician
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obsolete
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piercing
a shrewd wind
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spiteful
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Related Words
See acute.
Other Word Forms
- shrewdly adverb
- shrewdness noun
- unshrewd adjective
- unshrewdly adverb
Etymology
Origin of shrewd
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English shrewed, in part representing shrew 1 + -ed 3 ( dogged 1, wicked ); in part probably past participle of shrewen “to curse,” verb use of shrew 1 ( -ed 2 )
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.
That bet now looks shrewd in light of the American military operation that captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, over the weekend.
From MarketWatch
That bet now looks shrewd in light of the American military operation that captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, over the weekend.
From MarketWatch
Ashworth's glittering reputation as one of the game's shrewdest operators meant he was regarded as a prized, crucial acquisition but left in December 2024 after only five months at Old Trafford.
From BBC
His pizzazz was a large measure of his appeal, along with his manufactured image as a shrewd businessman with a kingly touch and infallible judgment.
From Los Angeles Times
It has always been interesting to me that a communist country could be so shrewd and create such effective strategies to exploit capitalist markets.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
