Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sagacious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sagacious are astute, perspicacious, and shrewd. While all these words mean "acute in perception and sound in judgment," sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness.

sagacious investors got in on the ground floor

In what contexts can astute take the place of sagacious?

The synonyms astute and sagacious are sometimes interchangeable, but astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill.

an astute player of party politics

When is perspicacious a more appropriate choice than sagacious?

The words perspicacious and sagacious can be used in similar contexts, but perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden.

a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade

When can shrewd be used instead of sagacious?

While the synonyms shrewd and sagacious are close in meaning, shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment.

a shrewd judge of character

Examples 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 sagacious Morris Chestnut Logline: As the fate of the earth hangs perilously in the balance, Bandi a sagacious elder embarks on a crucial mission to locate Tep one of the few legitimate descendants of an ancient extraterrestrial power, tracing back to a small tribe in Africa. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2024 Foster a balanced approach: While data can provide valuable insights at scale, integrating human judgment and industry expertise ensures a sagacious, well-rounded, and likely more ethical strategic investment approach. Douglas B. Laney, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 All that Manuel’s sagacious head coach Victor Valenzuela can do now is fine-tune his fighter’s composure. Ben Wyatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2023 The story, which reads as a simple recitation of the facts, portrays the decision to use the bomb as one made with sagacious care. Andy Kifer, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2023 Her character’s backstory is a compelling narrative that the franchise aims to explore over the series: Raised in Harlem with the guidance of a sagacious grandmother, Lally learned of the traditional magic that existed in her family bloodline despite their living in the nonmagical world. Shamira Ibrahim, Essence, 6 Apr. 2022 In the eye-popping sci-fi epic, Winslet plays the sagacious Ronal, an alien queen and healer who leads the oceanic Metkayina clan. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2022 There are many other indications of showmanly skills in the sagacious production by Eagle. Jack D. Grant, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 July 2022 Leave it to the sagacious Linus Van Pelt to strip away the trappings of the Thanksgiving holiday tradition and find its essence. Ben Zimmer, WSJ, 25 Nov. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sagacious
Adjective
  • Only 38% of parents consider becoming a content creator to be a wise career choice.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
  • This approach would be wiser than pushing for a package of immediate and flashy short-term concessions that would damage alliances without realigning them meaningfully.
    Rush Doshi, Foreign Affairs, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • As the nation appears to be in one form of transition or another, transitioning to a position of safety may not just be prudent but also quite wise.
    Ron Insana, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
  • All in all, a prudent categorization in this context cannot do something blindly such as purely relying on the number of words.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The 350-page autobiography is told through remembered moments, insightful observations and dozens of his most beloved newspaper columns written during his more than three decades on the job at the newspaper at 520 W. Broadway.
    Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2024
  • The second generation of these types of studies will perhaps be more insightful than the first.
    Megan Poinski, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

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Thesaurus Entries Near sagacious

Cite this Entry

“Sagacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sagacious. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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