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 clever exploration of contrasts — marrying delicate fabrics, soft palettes, and masculine silhouettes — was the label’s unique formula for winning over fashion’s insiders, including powerhouse Moda Operandi.—Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025 The film follows 11-year-old Caroline (Johnson), a clever, sharp-eyed girl navigating a life of excitement and peril as a shoplifter with her mom Jocelyn (Williams).—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025 The combination works thanks to a clever contrast of colors and finishes: juxtaposing the sleek blue metal table against a rustic backdrop of orangey-brown limewash walls (JH Wall Paints #117)—blue's color wheel opposite.—Monika Biegler Eyers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2025 The Amazon Outlet is stocked with pages of surprising little gadgets and accessories that manage to be clever and ultra-affordable — including wireless earbuds, portable chargers, and tech organizers.—Clint Davis, People.com, 20 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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