Word forms: comparative shrewder, superlative shrewdest
adjective
A shrewd person is able to understand and judge a situation quickly and to use this understanding to their own advantage.
She's a shrewd businesswoman.
His grey eyes were shrewd but kindly.
It should prove a shrewd investment.
Synonyms: astute, clever, sharp, knowing More Synonyms of shrewd
shrewdlygraded adverb [usually ADVERB with verb]
She looked at him shrewdly.
...a shrewdly worded statement.
Synonyms: astutely, perceptively, cleverly, knowingly More Synonyms of shrewd
shrewdnessuncountable noun
His natural shrewdness tells him what is needed to succeed.
Synonyms: astuteness, cleverness, sharpness, judgment More Synonyms of shrewd
shrewd in British English
(ʃruːd)
adjective
1.
astute and penetrating, often with regard to business
2.
artful and crafty
a shrewd politician
3. obsolete
a.
piercing
a shrewd wind
b.
spiteful
Derived forms
shrewdly (ˈshrewdly)
adverb
shrewdness (ˈshrewdness)
noun
Word origin
C14: from shrew (obsolete vb) to curse, from shrew
shrewd in American English
(ʃrud)
adjective
1. Obsolete
a.
evil, bad, wicked, mischievous, shrewish, etc.
b.
artful, cunning, wily, etc. in one's dealings with others
2.
keen-witted, clever, or sharp in practical affairs; astute
the usual current sense
3. Archaic
keen; piercing; sharp
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈclever
SYNONYMY NOTE: shrewd implies keenness of mind, sharp insight, and a cleverness in practical matters [a shrewd comment, businessman, etc.]; sagacious implies keen discernment and farsighted judgment [a sagacious counselor]; perspicacious suggests the penetrating mental vision or discernment that enables one clearly tosee and understand what is obscure, hidden, etc. [a perspicacious judge of character]; astute implies shrewdness combined with sagacity and sometimes connotes, in addition, artfulnessor cunning [an astute politician]
Derived forms
shrewdly (ˈshrewdly)
adverb
shrewdness (ˈshrewdness)
noun
Word origin
ME schrewed, pp. of schrewen, to curse < schrewe: see shrew
Examples of 'shrewd' in a sentence
shrewd
But they may prove a shrewd investment.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But he appears to have made another shrewd move.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is just a shrewd understanding of what matters in their lives.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He was also a shrewd judge of character.
James Fergusson KANDAHAR COCKNEY: A Tale of Two Worlds (2004)
He had a shrewd understanding of investment projects and business.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But he has a shrewd understanding of the political game.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He also made shrewd investments in property.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
And the time and money spent on them is proving a shrewd investment.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There are multiple action movies in the pipeline and his interventions in politics are shrewd and well judged.
The Sun (2013)
She is such a shrewd judge.
The Sun (2009)
It has been a shrewd investment.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He also looks a shrewd investment.
The Sun (2014)
While most of that was disastrous, some of the purchases have proved to be shrewd investments.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
On this evidence, it is a shrewd move.
The Sun (2008)
This promising filly gets a feather weight as she only cost 800 and she has proved a shrewd buy.
The Sun (2012)
He may not have had a formal education but he was shrewd and able to understand how power worked in Mexico.
The Sun (2016)
She was a shrewd judge of character; so was her acquisitive self-interest.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He has proved a shrewd and tenacious commander, restructuring his force into roving groups of up to 300 men.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
shrewd
British English: shrewd ADJECTIVE
A shrewd person is able to understand and judge a situation quickly and to use this understanding to their own advantage.
She's a shrewd businesswoman.
American English: shrewd
Brazilian Portuguese: perspicaz
Chinese: 精明的
European Spanish: astuto
French: habile
German: clever
Italian: scaltro
Japanese: 抜け目のない
Korean: 기민한
European Portuguese: perspicaz
Latin American Spanish: astuto
Chinese translation of 'shrewd'
shrewd
(ʃruːd)
adj
[person]精明的 (jīngmíng de)
[investment]高明的 (gāomíng de)
(adjective)
Definition
intelligent and making good judgments
She's a shrewd businesswoman.a shrewd guess
Synonyms
astute
He made a series of astute business decisions.
clever
My sister has always been the clever one in our family.
sharp
knowing
fly (slang)
He is devious and very fly.
keen
a person of keen intellect
acute
His relaxed exterior hides an extremely acute mind.
smart
He thinks he's much smarter than Sarah.
calculated
calculating
He is a cool, calculating and clever criminal.
intelligent
Rita is a highly intelligent woman.
discriminating
These products are snapped up by more discriminating customers.
cunning
He's a cunning, devious, good-for-nothing so-and-so.
discerning
tailor-made holidays to suit the more discerning traveller
sly
He is devious, sly and manipulative.
canny
He was far too canny to risk giving himself away.
perceptive
a very perceptive critique of Wordsworth
wily
He is an experienced and wily old statesman.
crafty
That crafty old devil had taken us all for a ride.
artful
the smiles and artifices of someone subtly artful
far-sighted
The decision was described as a far-sighted, significant step.
far-seeing
long-headed (rare)
perspicacious (formal)
a man of perspicacious judgment
sagacious (formal)
a wise and sagacious leader
Opposites
stupid
,
naive
,
gullible
,
unsophisticated
,
trusting
,
innocent
,
dull
,
obtuse
,
imprudent
,
unworldly
,
artless
,
ingenuous
,
undiscerning
,
slow-witted
Additional synonyms
in the sense of acute
Definition
penetrating in perception or insight
His relaxed exterior hides an extremely acute mind.
Synonyms
perceptive,
sharp,
keen,
smart,
sensitive,
clever,
subtle,
piercing,
penetrating,
discriminating,
discerning,
ingenious,
astute,
intuitive,
canny,
incisive,
insightful,
observant,
perspicacious (formal),
on the ball (informal)
in the sense of artful
Definition
cunning
the smiles and artifices of someone subtly artful
Synonyms
cunning,
designing,
scheming,
sharp,
smart,
clever,
subtle,
intriguing,
tricky,
shrewd,
sly,
wily,
politic,
crafty,
foxy,
deceitful
in the sense of calculating
Definition
selfishly scheming
He is a cool, calculating and clever criminal.
Synonyms
scheming,
designing,
sharp,
shrewd,
cunning,
contriving,
sly,
canny,
devious,
manipulative,
crafty,
Machiavellian,
politic,
cautious
Synonyms of 'shrewd'
shrewd
Explore 'shrewd' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of canny
Definition
shrewd or cautious
He was far too canny to risk giving himself away.
Synonyms
shrewd,
knowing,
sharp,
acute,
careful,
wise,
clever,
subtle,
cautious,
prudent,
astute,
on the ball (informal),
artful,
judicious,
circumspect,
perspicacious (formal),
sagacious (formal),
worldly-wise
in the sense of clever
Definition
displaying sharp intelligence or mental alertness
My sister has always been the clever one in our family.
Synonyms
intelligent,
quick,
bright,
talented,
gifted,
keen,
capable,
smart,
sensible,
rational,
witty,
apt,
discerning,
knowledgeable,
astute,
brainy (informal),
quick-witted,
sagacious (formal),
knowing,
deep,
expert
in the sense of crafty
Definition
skilled in deception
That crafty old devil had taken us all for a ride.
Synonyms
cunning,
scheming,
sly,
devious,
knowing,
designing,
sharp,
calculating,
subtle,
tricky,
shrewd,
astute,
fraudulent,
canny,
wily,
insidious,
artful,
foxy,
deceitful,
duplicitous,
tricksy,
guileful
in the sense of cunning
Definition
clever at deceiving
He's a cunning, devious, good-for-nothing so-and-so.
Synonyms
crafty,
knowing,
sly,
devious,
artful,
sharp,
subtle,
tricky,
shrewd,
astute,
canny,
wily,
Machiavellian,
shifty (informal),
foxy,
guileful
in the sense of discerning
Definition
having or showing good judgment
tailor-made holidays to suit the more discerning traveller
Synonyms
discriminating,
knowing,
sharp,
critical,
acute,
sensitive,
wise,
intelligent,
subtle,
piercing,
penetrating,
shrewd,
ingenious,
astute,
perceptive,
judicious,
clear-sighted,
percipient,
perspicacious (formal),
sagacious (formal)
in the sense of discriminating
These products are snapped up by more discriminating customers.
Synonyms
discerning,
particular,
keen,
critical,
acute,
sensitive,
refined,
cultivated,
selective,
astute,
tasteful,
fastidious
in the sense of far-sighted
Definition
able to look forward and plan ahead
The decision was described as a far-sighted, significant step.