shrewdness

American  

[shrood-nis] / ˈʃrud nɪs /

noun

1. the quality of being astute or sharp in practical matters; the ability to find and pursue the most advantageous course of action, sometimes at the cost of moral compromise.

   He had the gift of storytelling, but not the ordinary shrewdness to convert the talent into a bankable asset.

   Michnik says that the marketplace frequently “chooses banality over excellence, shrewdness over nobility, empty promise over true competence.”

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Other Word Forms

• unshrewdness noun

Etymology

Origin of shrewdness

shrewd ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Anthropic’s business prospects—and the shrewdness of its main investors, Amazon and Google—may be more deserving of notice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

"I saw that spark in him, that political shrewdness in him. I saw a horse going to win big races."

From BBC • May 2, 2024

Napoleon ascends through shrewdness and dumb luck, taking advantage of anti-royalist sentiment one minute and crowning himself emperor the next.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2023

One welcome shift from past cinematic renderings is screenwriters Peres Owino's and NneNne Iwuji's emphasis on Cleopatra's shrewdness as a political and military strategist, traits often subsumed by her legend as a seductress.

From Salon • May 11, 2023

She delighted in his wily mind, his shrewdness and his cunning; she was always forward to help him.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• acumen
• sharpness