incisive
Americanadjective
adjective
-
keen, penetrating, or acute
-
biting or sarcastic; mordant
an incisive remark
-
having a sharp cutting edge
incisive teeth
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incisive
From the Medieval Latin word incīsīvus, dating back to 1520–30. See incise, -ive
Explanation
The adjective incisive describes something that is sharp, decisive, and direct. A comment that cuts right to the bone can be just as incisive as an actual knife. The word incisive is rooted in a Latin word that literally means "to cut with a sharp edge." To help you remember the meaning, you can think of the similar word, incisors, which are the teeth that are sharp and cut and tear. The more figurative meaning of describing something that is mentally sharp first appeared in the 1850s. Keen criticism and cutting remarks have been called incisive ever since.
Vocabulary lists containing incisive
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
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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.
Two of Musk’s most incisive critics, his ex-wife Justine Musk and former right-wing influencer Ashley St. Clair, describe him as a gaslighter and a nuke, respectively.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Smart, funny, incisive, generous and, perhaps above all, unflappable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
What he transmits as a player is so direct, so incisive, constantly.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
It "pulls off an incredible double feat: it succeeds as both a romance and an incisive postcolonial novel," said Brown.
From Barron's ● May 19, 2026
Just now and then he posted an incisive little farewell note in the Paris sewerage system, and it was delivered promptly to Dufarge’s boot.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
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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.
