shrewd

[ shrood ]

/ ʃrud /

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See synonyms for: shrewd / shrewdest / shrewdly / shrewdness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, shrewd·er, shrewd·est.

having or showing astute or sharp judgment in practical matters, sometimes at the cost of moral compromise: a shrewd businessman.

cunning or tricky; artful.

keen; piercing: shrewd pain.

Archaic. mischievous; naughty.

Obsolete. malicious or evil; bad.

Obsolete. shrewish.

OTHER WORDS FOR shrewd

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

See synonyms for shrewd on Thesaurus.com

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Origin of shrewd

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

synonym study for shrewd

1. See acute.

OTHER WORDS FROM shrewd

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

Words nearby shrewd

shredded wheat, shredder, shredding, Shreveport, shrew, shrewd, shrewdie, shrewdness, shrewish, shrew mole, shrewmouse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use shrewd in a sentence

As my colleague Ben Morris wrote years ago, the advantage Beane’s shrewd deal-making brought to Oakland year after year was worth far more than any one star player could have provided the franchise.
If Billy Beane Is Done With Baseball, He’s Left An Indelible Mark|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|October 15, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Tesla’s been shrewd in exploiting a system in which rivals help fund its rise.
Tesla’s biggest profit center is dangerously close to running out of power|Shawn Tully|September 30, 2020|Fortune
Dramatic as the latter move would be, it would be a shrewd one considering how declining linear viewership and accelerating cord cutting is making the economics of operating a cable TV network less tenable.
‘This was the zeitgeist year’: How TV networks sold advertisers on streaming in this year’s upfront|Tim Peterson|September 30, 2020|Digiday
For tech companies, the four-day week incites laser focus and shrewd prioritization.
‘One debt companies are building up is burnout’: Ad tech embraces the four-day working week|Lucinda Southern|September 28, 2020|Digiday

Equal parts bitter tragedy and shrewd satire, it’s a cautionary tale against the ephemeral allures of fame and fortune, as well as an indictment of an industry that exploits and then discards the very people who make it possible in the first place.
‘Sunset Boulevard’ of broken dreams|David Ehrenstein|August 20, 2020|Washington Blade
Following in those shrewd, shirtless footsteps, perhaps one day Jonas will be peed on by Nicole Kidman, too.
Nick Jonas Is All Grown Up, Clutching His Penis and Everything|Kevin Fallon|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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 was, all things considered, a very shrewd publicity stunt.
Fear of a Minority Superhero: Marvel's Obsession with White Guys Saving the World|Marlow Stern|August 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To be fair, the palace have played a very shrewd game with George.
Prince George’s First Year Bodes Well for the Survival of the Royals|Tom Sykes|July 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet he could see into the heart of things as well as most men, for he was a shrewd Scotchman, and had a pawky humour.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
This was accompanied by a shrewd look to his son, indicating plainly enough what he expected him to say.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
A vein of shrewd and humorous sarcasm, together with an under-current of quiet selfishness, made him a very pleasant companion. '
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
With the shrewd cleverness that scarcely ever deserted her, she had forced her temper into the service of deception.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
Taylor is a shrewd fellow; full of useful bits of information, and knows, I really believe, three-fourths of London by name.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood

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

OTHER WORDS FOR shrewd

Origin of shrewd

synonym study for shrewd

OTHER WORDS FROM shrewd

Words nearby shrewd

Words related to shrewd

How to use shrewd in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for shrewd

Derived forms of shrewd

Word Origin for shrewd