Synonyms: Smart

Intelligence takes many forms, and this list of words for wisdom covers most of them. Learn them all, and you'll feel like a genius! For more synonym lists, explore our Say What You Mean resources.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. adept
    having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
    Haydn was so adept at sculpting a tune from small beginnings that the younger Mozart and Beethoven simply copied the technique in their own way. The Story of Music
    Someone who is adept is not just skilled, they're a fast learner.
  2. astute
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    “I am,” said Roscuro, “exactly that. A rat. Allow me to congratulate you on your very astute powers of observation. ” The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread
    Someone who is astute is sharp, perceptive, and quick-witted. The word comes from the Latin astutus meaning "crafty" or "cunning."
  3. brilliant
    of surpassing excellence
    The principal, Mother Lucy, wrote, “A brilliant, obedient student and a daughter to be proud of.” Purple Hibiscus
    The word bright can describe someone who is smart, and the word brilliant refers to a person with the highest intelligence.
  4. canny
    showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
    He or she is a deep thinker, canny like a fox, inspirational, and in many cases the toughest person in the boat. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
  5. crafty
    marked by skill in deception
    So they sent Odysseus, the master of crafty cunning, to get them by trickery. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes
  6. cunning
    showing inventiveness and skill
    He would need the touch of a surgeon, the alertness of an owl, the cunning of three foxes, and the foresight of a grand master in chess. Maniac Magee
    Cunning describes a person who is clever, often in a way that is tricky or deceptive.
  7. genius
    unusual mental ability
    You don’t need to be a genius to calculate that I don’t belong here. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
  8. gifted
    endowed with special talent or talents
    After all, half of being gifted was just the fact that everybody expected you to be smart. Ungifted
  9. ingenious
    showing inventiveness and skill
    It wasn’t a suggestion, more like I simply told them how my ingenious plan would be executed. Because of Mr. Terupt
    A genius is a person with extraordinary intelligence or talent. Ingenious describes an idea or solution that's exceptionally clever.
  10. nimble
    mentally quick
    The nimble minds in 1244 were already hopping from Mars to Jupiter and on to Saturn, like stones skipped in a glassy lake. Hidden Figures
    To be nimble is to be quick and dexterous, either mentally or physically.
  11. sage
    having wisdom that comes with experience
    She listened to stories about the boys we loved and the girls we hated, and offered sage and thoughtful advice. Americanized
    Sage is French for "wise," and in English it can be an adjective or a noun: a sage is a wise old person.
  12. savvy
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    It’s because he possessed the kind of savvy that allowed him to get what he wanted from the world. Outliers
    Savvy is a mashup between the Portuguese saber and the French savoir, both of which mean "to know."
  13. shrewd
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    Its owner was a Mr. Frederick, a tough, shrewd man, perpetually involved in lawsuits and with a name for driving hard bargains. Animal Farm: A Fairy Story
  14. wise
    having intelligence and discernment
    “He is. He’s the lord of our world—the wisest and most terrible of us all,” said the Brown Bear softly and reverently. Mary Poppins
Created on Mon Mar 09 21:05:44 EDT 2020 (updated Tue Mar 16 14:23:24 EDT 2021)

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