adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of astute
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin astūtus “shrewd, sly, cunning,” equivalent to astū- (stem of astus ) “cleverness” + -tus adjective suffix
Explanation
Someone who is astute is clever and has good judgment. The kid running around with a bucket stuck on his head? Not so astute. Astute (from Latin) is a formal and flattering adjective for someone with a good head on their shoulders. It differs from its synonym shrewd in placing less emphasis on hardheadedness than on sensitivity: we talk about a shrewd bargainer but an astute interpretation. Other synonyms are perceptive (emphasizing insight) and discerning (emphasizing an ability to distinguish).
Vocabulary lists containing astute
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 2
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Hamilton
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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.
Its return is the result of an astute observation by a Chicago bride-to-be — a woman she calls a guardian angel — who now needs to find her own missing heirloom gown.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Ferrero, who will work alongside Shelton's father and current coach Bryan, is regarded as an astute thinker and tactician.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Director Prakash Jha's Rajneeti in 2010 added another dimension to his acting as his portrayal of an astute politician was delivered with perfection.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Mr. Boorman comes across as donnish, astute and likable, but also arrogant and dismissive of legitimate concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Any concession to British economic and military power, no matter how strategically astute, seemed a betrayal of the very independence won in the Revolution.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
