All of Laptsev went to stare at the bride-to-be—she was no beauty, but everyone could see that she was clever, sophisticated …—Isaac Bashevis Singer, New Yorker, 29 Sept. 2003… the three of them may give Gray Davis, who was too clever for his own good, his comeuppance.—Garrison Keillor, Time, 25 Aug. 2003Some thought he had no redeeming value whatsoever. A sociopath. A clever manipulator …—Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2002Those who can't write poetry, write clever letters to the editor. Those who can't write clever letters to the editor, write angry letters to the editor.—Matt Groening, Utne Reader, November/December 1987The old lady was clever enough and he thought that if she had started from any of the right premises, more might have been expected of her.—Flannery O'Connor, Everything That Rises Must Converge, 1967
Some cats are clever enough to figure out how to operate doorknobs.
That's the cleverest idea I've heard yet!
She found a clever hiding place for the letter.
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The lingo, the faces, the concerns – all seemed, if not entirely authentic, then at least clever enough to create some backstage buzz.—Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025 Just make sure your clever solution doesn’t create additional fire hazards i.e. don’t hide cords under a rug.—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025 More than just a clever perk, the Cellar speaks to the ethos behind the entire development: thoughtful, timeless, and tailored to those who appreciate the finer things done well.—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 Or Nadiem Amiri, who sealed the 3-1 away win over Gladbach three weeks ago, curling home beautifully after a clever one-two on the edge of the box with Lee.
Mainz are very much a team, but part of their story is best told through their individuals — and Amiri is quite a tale.—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clever
Word History
Etymology
Middle English cliver, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish dialect kløver alert, skillful
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