1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comfortable
chiefly Scottish
enjoying physical comfort
warm and canny under the woolen bedcovers, we didn't mind the chilly Scottish nights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of canny
Hird considers Saudi Arabia’s recent purchase of his local soccer team, Newcastle United, the opposite of canny.
—
Andrew Hankinson, airmail.news, 5 Oct. 2024
But Stern, despite some initially traditional documentary trappings, is weaving something a bit more canny here.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025
Gulman is a canny, affable performer who is more than capable of entertaining an audience for two hours.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
The brothers were canny self-promoters—they’d been salesmen, after all.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Andrew Hankinson, airmail.news, 5 Oct. 2024
But Stern, despite some initially traditional documentary trappings, is weaving something a bit more canny here.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025
Gulman is a canny, affable performer who is more than capable of entertaining an audience for two hours.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
The brothers were canny self-promoters—they’d been salesmen, after all.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canny
Adjective
-
Not refining the budget on paper by playing with numbers, but by being productively smart and undertaking a massive effort of production engineering.—
John Bleasdale,
Variety,
21 Feb. 2025
-
In building preparedness for our longer lives to come, integration will be increasingly part of smart longevity strategies.—
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
For Lindor, that growth has entailed becoming comfortable with the latitude and limitations of his job with the Mets.—
Tim Britton,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
-
And there is no room to get comfortable with St. John’s waiting next.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Jacobs-Jenkins’ astute observations of White American life from his perspective as a Black playwright are fresh and illuminating.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2025
-
Regardless, Long’s point was an astute and frightening one for the rest of the NFC: Daniels isn’t just a promising rookie quarterback.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The Village opened a basement eatery called Sotto in December with refined Italian comfort food and a relaxed climate and decor that the owners hope will attract a younger crowd.—
Peter Breen,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2025
-
The city’s famous coffee shops offer a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy premium cannabis while soaking in the charming canals and vibrant arts scene.—
Matt Rozo,
The Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Our government with three separate but co-equal branches exists precisely to prevent this kind of anarchy operating under a thin veneer of fiscal responsibility and shrewd cost-cutting.—
Brian Schatz,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Instead of a Letter by Diana Athill Before her death at 101, Diana Athill—the formidably shrewd editor of Philip Roth, Simone de Beauvoir, V. S. Naipaul, and more—had written no fewer than nine memoirs.—
Hayley Maitland,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This is precisely why savvy venture investors understand that their money is ultimately invested in the team—not just the business idea, the product or the startup’s founder.—
Elena Volotovskaya,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Levien, a lawyer and sports executive, was savvy when negotiating with the city for a public investment.—
Cuneyt Dil,
Axios,
20 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to canny
Cite this Entry
“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share