shrewd

[ shrood ]

/ ʃrud /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shrewd ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, shrewd·er, shrewd·est.

astute or sharp in practical matters: a shrewd politician.

keen; piercing.

artful(def 1).

Archaic. malicious.

Obsolete. bad¹.

Obsolete. shrewish.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby shrewd

shredder, shredding, shreveport, shrew, shrew mole, shrewd, shrewdie, shrewish, shrewmouse, shrewsbury, shri

Origin of shrewd

1275–1325; Middle English shrewed, in part representing shrew¹ + -ed³ (cf. dogged¹, wicked); in part probably past participle of shrewen to curse, v. use of shrew¹ (see -ed²)

SYNONYMS FOR shrewd

1 quick, discerning, perceptive, perspicacious, sagacious, keen; discriminating, intelligent. See acute.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shrewd ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM shrewd

shrewd·ly, adverbshrewd·ness, nounun·shrewd, adjectiveun·shrewd·ly, adverb

un·shrewd·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for shrewd

The deviating family melodrama has, thankfully, been replaced by shrewd spycraft.
‘Homeland’ Season 4: A Stripped-Down and Surprisingly Badass Return to Form|Marlow Stern|September 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As someone with a shrewd eye for the absurd, it is entirely possible somewhere Joan Rivers is smiling right now.
Joan Rivers: 'Death Is Like Plastic Surgery'|Tim Teeman|September 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It stands to reason that nowadays, to do the latter would be shrewd indeed.
Ted Thompson’s Debut Novel Features A 1 Percenter As Its Hero|Stefan Beck|May 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
According to tradition, the typical Yankee peddler was thought to be so shrewd that he could carve and sell counterfeit nutmegs.
Ted Thompson’s Debut Novel Features A 1 Percenter As Its Hero|Stefan Beck|May 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST

They listen to their shrewd father, Tywin Lannister, smear their dead son in front of his corpse.
Game of Thrones’ Most WTF Sex Scene: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on Jaime Lannister’s Darkest Hour|Marlow Stern|April 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We have a shrewd idea that he may be hanging in the neighbourhood again very shortly.
Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 148, February 10, 1915|Various
He was a shrewd observer, and had drawn his own conclusions, but discreetly kept them to himself.
Marguerite De Roberval|T. G. Marquis
The replies of Sandilla to various remarks and questions lately put to him are shrewd enough.
The Cape and the Kaffirs|Harriet Ward
A kind, shrewd man was Mr. Boffin, devoted to his wife, whom he greatly admired.
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol 1|The Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D.
She was saving and shrewd, with the Scotch-Irish passion for "getting ahead."
Cyrus Hall McCormick|Herbert Newton Casson

British Dictionary definitions for shrewd

shrewd

/ (ʃruːd) /

adjective

astute and penetrating, often with regard to business

artful and craftya shrewd politician

obsolete

piercinga shrewd wind
spiteful

Derived forms of shrewd

shrewdly, adverbshrewdness, noun

Word Origin for shrewd

C14: from shrew (obsolete vb) to curse, from shrew

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

shrewd

adjective, shrewd·er, shrewd·est.

QUIZZES

Words related to shrewd

Words nearby shrewd

Origin of shrewd

SYNONYMS FOR shrewd

OTHER WORDS FROM shrewd

Example sentences from the Web for shrewd

British Dictionary definitions for shrewd

adjective

Derived forms of shrewd

Word Origin for shrewd