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View synonyms for shrewd

shrewd

[ shrood ]

adjective

, shrewd·er, shrewd·est.
  1. 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

  2. cunning or tricky; artful.
  3. shrewd pain.

  4. Archaic. mischievous; naughty.
  5. Obsolete. malicious or evil; bad.
  6. Obsolete. shrewish.


shrewd

/ ʃruːd /

adjective

  1. astute and penetrating, often with regard to business
  2. artful and crafty

    a shrewd politician

  3. obsolete.
    1. piercing

      a shrewd wind

    2. spiteful
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈshrewdly, adverb
  • ˈshrewdness, noun
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Other Words From

  • shrewd·ly adverb
  • shrewd·ness noun
  • un·shrewd adjective
  • un·shrewd·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shrewd1

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 )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shrewd1

C14: from shrew (obsolete vb) to curse, from shrew
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Synonym Study

See acute.
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Example Sentences

Tributes have been paid to Dias, described by the Carta de Moçambique news site as a "shrewd lawyer, intrepid, with the tough fibre of a fighter".

From BBC

Bonar Law was both a true believer in the Ulster cause and a shrewd political operator, who correctly perceived that home rule could be used to bring down Asquith and the Liberals.

From Salon

Salmond's interviews, his speeches and his contributions in the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament were strewn with shrewd and highly quotable little nuggets - politics boiled down to their essence.

From BBC

It is a case study in being sustainable, being present in your community and being shrewd with your recruitment.

From BBC

But that will require a shrewd reading of popular sentiment, especially among youth and the middle-class in big cities such as Yaoundé and Douala.

From BBC

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