perspicacious
adjective
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Some perspective on perspicacious: the word combines the Latin perspicac- (from perspicax meaning “clear-sighted,” which in turn comes from perspicere, “to see through”) with the common English adjective suffix -ious. The result is a somewhat uncommon word used to describe someone (such as a reader or observer) or something (such as an essay or analysis) displaying the perception and understanding of subtleties others tend to miss, such as the distinctions between the words perspicacious, shrewd, sagacious, and astute—something our synonym chooser can help with.
Example Sentences
Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022 This particular Ferrari F50 was delivered new, in 1996, to Étienne Léandri, a defense lawyer and perspicacious Ferrari collector from Monaco. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2022 As some of the nation’s most perspicacious observers have noted, self-regulation is a crucial component of fixing what’s wrong with social media. Gilad Edelman, Wired, 30 Sep. 2021 Parker also knits in a perspicacious take on the toxicity of the royal family, most particularly the poisonous effect of the institution and the vulturous press. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2021 Some of the film’s performances are merely peculiar and others merely apt, but Cheadle is thrilling, with coiled strength and a perspicacious gaze that seems to realize ideas in motion. Richard Brod, The New Yorker, 1 July 2021 National Review Institute enables the perspicacious endeavors of twelve NRI fellows and three young journalism fellows. Peter J. Travers, National Review, 29 June 2021 Corey is freed and making his way to Paris, Vogel escapes, and the perspicacious Corey—while being pursued by his gangland enemies—brings Vogel in on the jewelry-store scheme. Richard Brod, The New Yorker, 25 June 2021 Chude-Sokei chronicles his further missteps, advances and inner conflicts to create a moving, perspicacious account of disguising his origins, of adopting pose after pose, of seeking acceptance. Star Tribune, 12 Feb. 2021 See More Word History
Latin perspicac-, perspicax, from perspicere
1640, in the meaning defined above
perspicacious
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- wise
- brilliant
- clever
- intelligent
- smart
- astute
- keen
- sagacious
- insightful
- perceptive
- exceptional
- skilled
- savvy
- wise
- prudent
- sensible
- sharp
- discerning
- acute
- erudite
- resourceful
- literate
- brainy
- nimble
- cunning
- quick
- reasonable
- percipient
- scholarly
- quick-witted
- ingenious
- apt
- sharp-witted
- heady
- bright
- sapient
- informed
- knowledgeable
- alert
- supersmart
- knowing
- cerebral
- educated
- hyperintelligent
- creative
- judicious
- fast
- genial
- highbrow
- ultrasmart
- shrewd
- logical
- learned
- well-read
- sage
- sane
- inventive
- wily
- sound
- trained
- crafty
- rational
- foxy
- schooled
- sapient
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- foolish
- idiotic
- simpleminded
- feebleminded
- moronic
- imbecile
- silly
- imbecilic
- ignorant
- uninformed
- unacademic
- illiterate
- idiotical
- uneducated
- unintellectual
- untaught
- unthinking
- daffy
- absurd
- zany
- unwise
- lowbrow
- nutty
- nonintellectual
- obtuse
- dippy
- mad
- preposterous
- dumb
- kooky
- whacky
- wacky
- stupid
- insane
- fatuous
- daft
- dopey
- harebrained
- loony
- simple
- asinine
- doltish
- crazy
- unintelligent
- dotty
- lunatic
- dunderheaded
- pinheaded
- cockeyed
- vacuous
- slow
- opaque
- dense
- thickheaded
- nonsensical
- boneheaded
- fool
- softheaded
- witless
- dim
- sappy
- balmy
- chuckleheaded
- knuckleheaded
- half-baked
- unsmart
- boobish
- soft
- screwball
- cuckoo
- lamebrain
- bubbleheaded
- crackpot
- dull
- lamebrained
- thick
- brainless
- gormless
- mindless
- looney
- dopy
- dorky
- dim-witted
- slow-witted
- thick-witted
- kookie
- unbrilliant
- airheaded
- tomfool
- half-witted
- lunkheaded
- featherheaded
- senseless
- birdbrained
- half-baked
- brain-dead
- weak-minded
- empty-headed
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of perspicacious are astute, sagacious, and shrewd. While all these words mean "acute in perception and sound in judgment," perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden.
Although the words astute and perspicacious have much in common, astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill.
The synonyms sagacious and perspicacious are sometimes interchangeable, but sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness.
While in some cases nearly identical to perspicacious, shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment.