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.comExamples from the Web for shrewdness
Contemporary Examples of shrewdness
In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness; persistence and faith.
Historical Examples of shrewdness
Her ruse of spoliation within the law was evidence of her shrewdness, nothing more.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
To this there was no reply; and they hated her the more for their having been silenced by her shrewdness.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
Mr. Gordon believed that to shrewdness and persistence all things are possible.
Cleveland Past and PresentMaurice Joblin
He called upon all his shrewdness, all his trickiness of the South.
A Spirit in PrisonRobert Hichens
Also, at that time, he idolized his brother and believed in his shrewdness and capability.
Cap'n Warren's WardsJoseph C. Lincoln
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 shrewdness
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.