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.
Steinem could express her outrage directly and profanely, or wrapped in a slick and quick-witted savviness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
In the rhinestone-clad, quick-witted country music queen, many gays and lesbians saw an unexpected but unwavering ally that advocated for their dignity and rights long before it was popular to do so.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
She’s quick-witted and intelligent, tossing out jokes with such an unassuming naturalism that you don’t realize she’s lobbed another punchline into the air until it lands on your head so close to the first.
From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2025
Slattery was known and loved for his quick-witted improvisations on the popular Channel 4 show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, from 1988 onwards.
From BBC ● Jan. 14, 2025
The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn’t feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment.
From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling
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.
