shrewd
Americanadjective
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having or showing astute or sharp judgment in practical matters, sometimes at the cost of moral compromise.
a shrewd businessman.
- Synonyms:
- intelligent , discriminating , keen , sagacious , perspicacious , perceptive , discerning , quick
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cunning or tricky; artful.
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shrewd pain.
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Archaic. mischievous; naughty.
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Obsolete. malicious or evil; bad.
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Obsolete. shrewish.
adjective
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astute and penetrating, often with regard to business
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artful and crafty
a shrewd politician
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obsolete
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piercing
a shrewd wind
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spiteful
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Related Words
See acute.
Other Word Forms
- shrewdly adverb
- shrewdness noun
- unshrewd adjective
- unshrewdly adverb
Etymology
Origin of shrewd
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English shrewed, in part representing shrew 1 + -ed 3 ( dogged 1, wicked ); in part probably past participle of shrewen “to curse,” verb use of shrew 1 ( -ed 2 )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But Mr. Sullivan freshens the familiar with shrewd diversions and, above all, the phenomenon of a relentlessly logical investigator confronting a mystery rooted in love and loyalty.
A shrewd trader long ago said the stock market is where smart people think of ways to take money from dumb people.
From Barron's
A shrewd trader long ago said the stock market is where smart people think of ways to take money from dumb people.
From Barron's
"The world is shrewd enough to know the difference between following the letter of the law and using the law as a tool of influence," he wrote.
From BBC
But as the judge says, profits can be a result of “shrewd management, exceptional efficiency, booming demand, or risky investments that hit big.”
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
