savvy
Americanadjective
noun
verb (used with or without object)
verb
-
to understand or get the sense of (an idea, etc)
-
I don't (he doesn't, etc) understand
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
savvysimple
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savviessimple
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have savviedperfect
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has savviedperfect
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am savvyingprogressive
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are savvyingprogressive
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is savvyingprogressive
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have been savvyingperfect progressive
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has been savvyingperfect progressive
Past
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savviedsimple
-
had savviedperfect
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was savvyingprogressive
-
were savvyingprogressive
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had been savvyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of savvy
First recorded in 1775–85; from Spanish sabe, 3rd-person singular present of saber “to know,” from Latin sapere “to be wise, taste”; see sapient
Explanation
You are known as someone with a lot of business savvy, but only because you've managed to keep your staggering debts a secret. Which is actually pretty savvy. Someone who is savvy is shrewd and perceptive. Most English words stem directly from other European languages, like French and Latin. Not savvy. It comes from the West Indies, a twist on the French savez vous? — “Do you know?” Savvy was first recorded in its adjective form in 1905. Synonyms for the noun form include acumen, discernment, grasp, perception, and sharpness.
Vocabulary lists containing savvy
This Week in Words: August 11 - 17, 2018
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The Things They Carried
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Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"
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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.
Despite their unorthodox belief system, some more contemporary examples, such as Scientology, are savvy in deploying the religious protections offered by the Constitution to secure legal and financial benefits.
From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026
Greenspan was an enigma: a savvy political operator and ladies’ man who was also an introvert.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
Whether by focusing on such hybrid players or by building a portfolio balancing pioneers and scalers, savvy tech investors always account for multiple likely scenarios.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
"I like to think I'm savvy, but it can catch anyone," he said.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
The slick, savvy streets of Harlem welcomed me.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
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.
