quick-witted
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of quick-witted
Explanation
If you've got a knack for coming up with smart comments on the fly, you're quick-witted. The most quick-witted students in a class are often the first to raise their hands to answer the teacher's question (or to supply a sarcastic remark). Anyone whose mind is sharp can be called quick-witted, especially if they've got a great sense of humor and are speedy with a comeback. Being quick-witted is helpful during a debate or when you're playing a game with a time limit. Quick-witted comes from wit, which doesn't just mean "sense of humor," but also "intelligence."
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.
But Margaret and Alice’s quick-witted machinations provide the basis for a merry outing at the theater.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Local drag artist Adam Carver, also known as Fatt Butcher, plays the quick-witted sprite Puck, and admitted that they brought some of their drag persona to the role.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
Enter Digby, a handsome, quick-witted and wealthy enigma who smells faintly of fig.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
Being funny — truly, naturally funny — isn’t just about delivering a punchline well or being quick-witted.
From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2026
To Lisa, Reggie was a model kid: friendly, widely liked, quick-witted, but never seeming to crave the limelight.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
