shrewd
- astute or sharp in practical matters: a shrewd politician.
- keen; piercing.
- artful(def 1).
- Archaic. malicious.
- Obsolete. bad1.
- Obsolete. shrewish.
Origin of shrewd
Synonyms for shrewd
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for shrewdest
ingenious, sensible, penetrating, wise, sly, keen, farsighted, slick, judicious, perceptive, cagey, astute, canny, sharp, prudent, probing, crafty, smart, wily, acuteExamples from the Web for shrewdest
Contemporary Examples of shrewdest
The shrewdest mind to occupy the Oval Office in our lifetime still has one of the most impressive hard drives around.
And, in one of the shrewdest personnel moves of his career, he appointed General George Marshall as secretary of State.
Not for nothing have critics and admirers alike described Obama as among the shrewdest politicians in a long time.
Historical Examples of shrewdest
I consider him to have possessed the shrewdest insight into character.
Camps, Quarters and Casual PlacesArchibald Forbes
The fox is the synonym of cunning, and will often outwit the shrewdest trapper.
The Hunters of the OzarkEdward S. Ellis
But Indians have one peculiarity that will baffle even the shrewdest Jew.
Pocket IslandCharles Clark Munn
But by far the shrewdest blow to the Italianists was Wilson's Declaration.
The Birth of Yugoslavia, Volume 2Henry Baerlein
Trade or talk of history with him, and he was found to be one of the shrewdest of men.
Stories Of GeorgiaJoel Chandler Harris
shrewd
- astute and penetrating, often with regard to business
- artful and craftya shrewd politician
- obsolete
- piercinga shrewd wind
- spiteful
Word Origin for shrewd
Word Origin and History for shrewdest
shrewd
c.1300, "wicked, evil," from shrewe "wicked man" (see shrew). Cf. crabbed from crab (n.), dogged from dog (n.), wicked from witch (n.). The sense of "cunning" is first recorded 1510s. Related: Shrewdly; shrewdness. Strutt's "Sports and Pastimes of the People of England" (1801) has a shrewdness of apes for a company or group of them. Shrewdie "cunning person" is from 1916.