shrewd
Americanadjective
-
shrewder,
comparative
-
shrewdest
superlative
-
having or showing astute or sharp judgment in practical matters, sometimes at the cost of moral compromise.
a shrewd businessman.
- Synonyms:
- intelligent, discriminating, keen, sagacious, perspicacious, perceptive, discerning, quick
-
cunning or tricky; artful.
-
shrewd pain.
-
Archaic. mischievous; naughty.
-
Obsolete. malicious or evil; bad.
-
Obsolete. shrewish.
adjective
-
astute and penetrating, often with regard to business
-
artful and crafty
a shrewd politician
-
obsolete
-
piercing
a shrewd wind
-
spiteful
-
Synonym Usage
See acute.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of shrewd
First recorded in 1275โ1325; Middle English shrewed, in part representing shrew 1 + -ed 3 ( cf. dogged 1, wicked); in part probably past participle of shrewen โto curse,โ verb use of shrew 1 ( -ed 2 )
Explanation
If you are shrewd in your spending, you can make a small salary go a long way. Use the adjective shrewd to describe a person or thing that is smart or clever in a practical sort of way. The word shrewd is from a Middle English adjective formed from the noun schrewe, "an evil person, a villain." This Middle English noun is an earlier form of our modern English word shrew. So shrewd and shrew are related to each other. Shrewd doesn't usually have a disapproving or negative tone, but shrew certainly does.
Vocabulary lists containing shrewd
List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com โ one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
And Then There Were None
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more โ and it's all completely free to use!
Much Ado About Nothing
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com โ we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Parton was a successful and shrewd businesswoman, and in 2022 was listed by Forbes as one of America's richest self-made women, external.
From BBC โ Aug. 25, 2026
It’s something which says so much about him and the way he does it, I thought it was an incredibly beautiful and shrewd piece of writing.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 20, 2026
In the shrewd balance of his alliance with Moscow and Beijing, he has no need to make any sort of deals with Washington.
From Slate โ Aug. 17, 2026
As a signal to markets that Tokyo’s limited tools are less limited than they look, it is shrewd posturing at no cost.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 4, 2026
He is plausible, convincing, likable, and far and away the most wily, subtle, and shrewd of all the inhabitants of Asgard.
From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman
One of their shrewder tactics is to begin the story as an odd-couple courtship as Ernest, a war veteran, ingratiates himself with the wealthy, wary Mollie.
From Los Angeles Times โ May 20, 2023
Fancied to feature by some of the shrewder racing pundits.
From BBC โ Apr. 7, 2022
But Stacey Abrams is one of the shrewder Democratic politicians.
From Slate โ Dec. 2, 2021
Someone shrewder could have made better use of its marriage of history and blockbuster cinema to comment on our addiction to violent, explosive versions of American mythmaking.
From Salon โ Jun. 30, 2021
Or she won't, a shrewder voice in his head suggested.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Tinubu is considered one of Nigeria's shrewdest politicians and his All Progressives Congress controls the national assembly and 31 of 36 powerful governorships.
From Barron's โ Aug. 19, 2026
That’s the hypothesis of one of the world’s shrewdest and most respected analysts of geopolitics and energy, Cambridge University political economy professor Helen Thompson.
From MarketWatch โ Apr. 11, 2026
Klein Halevi is one of the shrewdest and most thoughtful analysts of Israeli politics and society.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Jan. 27, 2026
Ashworth's glittering reputation as one of the game's shrewdest operators meant he was regarded as a prized, crucial acquisition but left in December 2024 after only five months at Old Trafford.
From BBC โ Jan. 5, 2026
His favorite companion on these tours was Mercury, the most entertaining of all the gods, the shrewdest and the most resourceful.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, ยฉ Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritageยฎ Idioms Dictionary copyright ยฉ 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
