wise
adjective
having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion.
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wise
1 American
[wahyz]
/ waɪz /
adjective
-
wiser,
comparative
-
wisest
superlative
-
having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion.
- Synonyms:
- intelligent, sagacious, sensible, sage
-
characterized by or showing such power; judicious or prudent.
a wise decision.
- Antonyms:
- foolish
-
possessed of or characterized by scholarly knowledge or learning; learned; erudite.
wise in the law.
-
having knowledge or information as to facts, circumstances, etc..
We are wiser for their explanations.
-
Slang. informed; in the know.
You're wise, so why not give us the lowdown?
-
Archaic. having knowledge of magic or witchcraft.
verb (used with object)
wised,
wising
verb phrase
idioms
-
get wise,
-
to become informed.
-
to be or become presumptuous or impertinent.
Don't get wise with me, young man!
-
-
wise to, familiar or aware; cognizant of; no longer deceived by a lie, confidence game, trick, or misdirection: Also beget wise to
In the end, the investors were wise to the fraud.
-
put / set someone wise, to inform a person; let a person in on a secret or generally unknown fact.
Some of the others put him wise to what was going on.
wise
2
American
[wahyz]
/ waɪz /
noun
wise
3
American
[wahyz]
/ waɪz /
verb (used with object)
wised,
wising
-
Chiefly Scot.
-
to instruct.
-
to induce or advise.
-
to show the way to; guide.
-
-
Scot. to direct the course of; cause to turn.
Wise
4
American
[wahyz]
/ waɪz /
noun
-
Isaac Mayer 1819–1900, U.S. rabbi and educator, born in Bohemia: founder of Reform Judaism in the U.S.
-
Stephen Samuel, 1874–1949, U.S. rabbi, theologian, and Zionist leader; born in Hungary.
-wise
5
American
wise
1
British
/ waɪz /
adjective
-
possessing, showing, or prompted by wisdom or discernment
-
prudent; sensible
-
shrewd; crafty
a wise plan
-
well-informed; erudite
-
aware, informed, or knowing (esp in the phrase none the wiser )
-
slang in the know, esp possessing inside information (about)
-
archaic possessing powers of magic
-
slang cocksure or insolent
-
informal (often foll by to) to be or become aware or informed (of something) or to face up (to facts)
-
slang (often foll by to) to inform or warn (of)
verb
-wise
2
British
combining form
-
Also: -ways. indicating direction or manner
clockwise
likewise
-
with reference to
profitwise
businesswise
wise
3
British
/ waɪz /
noun
wise
More Idioms
Usage
What does -wise mean? The suffix -wise meaning “direction” or "a way of doing." It is occasionally used in a variety of everyday terms, particularly to indicate a movement. The form -wise comes from Old English wíse, meaning “way, manner; style, melody.” Yes, melody. Discover why at our entry for the related term verse.
Commonly Confused
The suffix -wise is old in the language in adverbs referring to manner, direction, etc.: crosswise; lengthwise. Coinages like marketwise, saleswise, and weatherwise are often criticized, perhaps because of their association with the media: Otherwise—or moneywise, as they were already saying in the motion-picture industry—Hollywood was at the crest of its supercolossal glory. This suffix should not be confused with the adjective wise1 , which appears in such compound words as streetwise and worldly-wise.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of wise1
First recorded before 900; Middle English wis(e), Old English wīs; cognate with Dutch wijs, German weise, Old Norse vīss, Gothic (un)weis “ignorant, unlearned”; akin to wit 1, wit 2
Origin of wise2
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English: “way, manner; style, melody”; cognate with Dutch wijze, German Weise “tune, melody; (figurative) manner, way,” Old Norse vīsa “verse, stanza, short poem,” Danish vise “ballad”; akin to Greek eîdos (from weîdos ) “form, shape”
Origin of wise3
First recorded before 900; Middle English wisen, “to advise, reveal, guide,” Old English wīsian “to show the way, guide, direct,” akin to wīs wise 1; cognate with Old High German wīsan, Old Norse vīsa “to point out, indicate”
Explanation
The adjective wise describes someone who has experience and a deep understanding. Your wise older sister always gives the best advice. When you make a decision based on careful thought and good judgment, you've made a wise choice. If someone calls you a wise guy, though, it's not a compliment: it's likely to be a criticism of your joke at someone else's expense or your rudeness. To wise off (or sometimes, to be wise), has a similar meaning: to talk back or be disrespectful.
Vocabulary lists containing wise
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Lee said it’s not wise to make “irrational portfolio decisions” during a “violent tape.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
Some people have the ability to recognize problems, assess possible remedies, seek wise advice and apply those lessons to their own circumstances.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
In retrospect, conventional wisdom might not be all that wise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026
Such an amen chorus, however wise and worthy, doesn’t seem to help Berry anticipate the scrutiny of more skeptical observers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
And the final challenge, the most difficult of all, could only be won by a wise head.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
"There are lots of famous northern comics," said the writer, whose own work was inspired by the likes of Victoria Wood, Alan Bennett and Morecambe and Wise.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Wise previously attempted to ban the insurers from issuing new policies, but a state judge overturned that order in 2025, the insurers said in their lawsuit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Though it’s always best to avoid or at least minimize long-lasting card balances, Wise said “it’s maybe a bit more urgent.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
The next morning, the judge named attorney Andrea Sheridan Ordin as special master and Dr. Paul H. Wise as independent monitor to enforce the agreement, over the objections of federal officials.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
They have called him the Wise Sage, the Spirit of the Mountain, and the Old Man of the Moon.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
Likewise, New Yorker Music Critic Winthrop Sargeant attacked the suffix -wise, as in taxwise.
From Time Magazine Archive
In Rio de Janeiro, U.S. -wise Brazilian Businessman Valentim Bougas urged Latin Americans to follow the ex ample of European nations, which met in Paris last summer to canvass their needs.
From Time Magazine Archive
When the shortcomings of any illustrious man save Borrow are under discussion, 'les defauts de ses qualites' is the criticism- -wise as charitable—which they evoke.
From The Life of George Borrow by Herbert George Jenkins
The wiser course is to work with his government to check Chinese influence in the hemisphere and to build, carefully and gingerly, on the shared interest in a stable Venezuela.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
This season, he’s healthy, wiser and ready to improvise even more to take advantage of his running and passing skills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
He suggested that shoppers have gotten wiser, but not necessarily worse off.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
He's a little bit older, a little bit wiser.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Gingersnipes looked up at Clare, none the wiser.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Reading her work feels like having lunch with your smartest, wisest, most empathetic friend.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
Just because Minneapolis and Hennepin County can refuse to cooperate, does it follow that refusing cooperation is the wisest course of action?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026
I think this is, by far, the wisest course in the short term.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2025
Among the wisest of Coop’s early introspections considers the way that the race to acquire status symbols makes you lose sight of the things that once mattered.
From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2025
“The wisest herb,” she said with a wink.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
Smart toys aren’t great for emotional development, but it’d be nice if the playthings of “Toy Story 5” finally wised up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
Eventually, I wised up and just started ordering my own.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 28, 2023
Media, especially after Theranos, wised up a bit.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2022
They wised up at some point, whereas I still hadn’t learned.
From The Verge ● Dec. 13, 2021
"I just got wised up to something funny the last two days," remarked Wilson.
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
But now, experts say, Milei is wising up to the game, giving up some campaign promises while maneuvering to secure enough other priorities to claim victory.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 30, 2024
While U.S. players have led the development of retail media networks, European retailers are wising up to the opportunity.
From Reuters ● Jun. 12, 2023
At the same time, “teams are wising up to the idea the brand is also the star,” Mr. Grede said.
From New York Times ● Dec. 22, 2022
“I hope he’s wising up to the stupidity of what he’s doing.”
From Washington Times ● Feb. 27, 2022
So I heard; his nibs here," indicating the bartender, "has been wising me up, a lot.
From The Lonesome Trail and Other Stories by B. M. Bower
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
