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

This detour is not a clever design, but a historical leftover from our fish-like ancestors when the nerve took a straightforward path around the gill arches.

From Science Daily • Jul. 11, 2026

“People grow up with it, they become fans of it, they live with it. When you’ve got IP that resonates so well literally around the world with fans, I just think it’s a clever extension.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

Yes, other teams will know about him now, and what he does - but he is such a clever player, he will still not be easy to stop.

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026

After playing the pass, Spence carries on his run before getting it back from Gordon after a clever back-heel.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026

All these clever people at this secret countryside estate, desperately scrambling to solve his machine.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin