1
2
as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind a clever student figured out a trick to do the assignment faster

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective clever differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of clever are adroit, cunning, and ingenious. While all these words mean "having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving," clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude.

a person clever with horses

When might adroit be a better fit than clever?

The words adroit and clever can be used in similar contexts, but adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties.

an adroit negotiator

Where would cunning be a reasonable alternative to clever?

The meanings of cunning and clever largely overlap; however, cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating.

a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects

When is it sensible to use ingenious instead of clever?

While the synonyms ingenious and clever are close in meaning, ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something.

an ingenious software engineer

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 clever For over 24 years, the agency has built a reputation based upon more than clever design and digital technology - it is cemented in the fact that its creative marketing programs get results for clients both big and small, from small business startups to Fortune 500s. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025 The storytelling is clever, filling scenes with enough detail to lend some gravity to this world. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025 There was scope here to be a bit more clever and go beyond the obvious, which might have been lost a bit in the film’s bid to do so much at once. David Opie, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2025 Anyone who thinks this is funny or clever needs to listen more and talk less. Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clever
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clever
Adjective
  • Setting a production within a video game has been lauded by fans as an innovative way to merge mediums.
    Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Chinese travel trends China has been working on some innovative ways to get around – from the prototype for what could be the world’s fastest high-speed train to robot legs to make mountain-climbing easier.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Any edge comes from their regular scene partners: Wilson’s believably unpleasant demeanor, Bratt’s vulnerable charm, Scott’s lo-fi depression and, most appealingly, Driver’s intelligent wariness.
    Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
  • The application can generate unit test cases, propose intelligent code fixes and answer some coding queries, including refactoring.
    Bankim Chandra, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Another male ally to the women’s crimes is Walter (Elijah Wood), a fellow citizen detective of Misty’s who uses his wealth and cunning to bury Shauna’s murder case once and for all.
    Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2025
  • Thomas adds that much like Capricorns — known for their great ambition and perseverance to reach the top — Luthor is also strategic, cunning and powerful.
    Athena Sobhan, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In this puzzle, however, the question is about serving others in restaurants, and the witty answer is TIPS.
    Deb Amlen, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Falstaff is vitality incarnate — exuberant, excessive, grandiloquent, unashamedly self-preserving, defiant and fleshy, witty and roguish, an addict by personality and addictive to those who can’t help but love him.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • New Jersey’s dining scene is having a moment, with a wave of restaurants offering inventive menus, exceptional hospitality, and atmospheres that strike the perfect balance between upscale and inviting.
    Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Ditto a few other inventive creepy-crawlies that the film unleashes on its running-and-gunning heroes (two words: skull spiders).
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In the imaginative geography of the novel, the border region becomes not one but many overlapping environments, in which a variety of meanings accrue.
    David L. Ulin, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2025
  • As the zodiac’s most imaginative archetype, Pisces is a portal to the subconscious realm and everything that can’t be explained with reason alone.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025
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
  • But if the feedback from the audience is any indication, this sometimes humorous and always emotional generational family tale will one day have a real opening night.
    Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
  • White sprinkles in archival footage exploring the couple’s trajectory and Gibson’s career, but his subjects’ raw, often humorous testimonies—about mortality, sexuality, and gender identity—are most illuminating.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Clever.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clever. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on clever

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!