sharp-witted

[shahrp-wit-id]

adjective

1. having or showing mental acuity; intellectually discerning; acute.

sharp-witted

adjective

1. having or showing a keen intelligence; perceptive

Other Word Forms

• sharp-wittedly adverb
• sharp-wittedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sharp-witted¹

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

Love and larceny combine as Olivia Holt, “a sharp-witted retail worker,” and Connor Swindells, “a down-on-his-luck repairman,” independently plan to rob the same London department store on Christmas Eve.

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In his letter, which features photos of the pair, Lord Mandelson described Jeffrey Epstein as his "best pal", and an "intelligent, sharp-witted man".

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In one photo of a yellow parachute in the air, he wrote: "Once upon a time, an intelligent, sharp-witted man they call 'mysterious' parachuted into my life."

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In the message for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003, Lord Mandelson - UK ambassador to the US since last year - describes him as an "intelligent, sharp-witted man", who "parachuted" into his life.

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But by sticking to Ruth’s perspective, the camera attuned to every emergence of childlike glee, adult pleasure or sharp-witted flash of authority, we come to see a person, not a patient.

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