CLEVERNESS Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

cleverness

noun

Definition of cleverness

as in ability

mental skill or quickness it takes real cleverness to find a way around the rules

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in skill

subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something the undeniable cleverness of the negotiator, who managed to get each side to believe that they had won

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in creativity

the skill and imagination to create new things Cole Porter's overall cleverness with words, including his effortless ability to rhyme and pun

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of cleverness Ormund is given a great deal more character and power and cleverness in the show. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Members must accommodate themselves to its fictions, with varying mixtures of gullibility and cynicism; followers shown proof that the leader has lied may admire him all the more for his tactical cleverness. — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 If discussions keep scattering, don’t add more cleverness to the pile. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026 In fact, that change will go on for forever, and no amount of cleverness or adult interference can amend it. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 July 2026 Dinklage played Tyrion Lannister, who uses his cleverness and wit to cope with his father's rejection of him. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026 That Aldous Harding makes this impulse look easy without sacrificing any of the cleverness or creativity that makes her music so immediate is striking, to say the least. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026 The finding speaks to the cleverness of Kea (Nestor notabilis), mountain-dwelling parrots with a reputation for impish intelligence. — Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 20 Apr. 2026 Even so, a little magic has crept into the proceedings, with some brands concealing their cleverness in plain sight and others putting more of the horological art on display. — Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleverness

Noun

But the White House cut its offices and weakened its ability to follow up with cases, as well as slashed funding to research on disparities that people of color face in getting diagnosed and attaining resources for disabilities.

— Claire Sibonney, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Herkov said Tebow’s value system is as impressive as his athletic ability.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of ability

Noun

The partnership is also framed as a skills exchange, giving Indonesian creative talent exposure to ReelShort’s production pipeline.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
The company has had a decades-long presence in the country and invested billions in AI infrastructure and related skills training in Brazil, the leading economy in Latin America.

— Charlotte Hu, Time, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of skill

Noun

And it was viewed as a home for the kind of silly human creativity that, these days, is increasingly replaced in our feeds by AI slop.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Early exposure to entrepreneurship, whether through education or the home environment, significantly boosts entrepreneurial intention while building the critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity that leadership requires in any field.

— Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of creativity

Noun

Banks wrote this piece as an ensemble work, not as a showcase for his formidable instrumental prowess.

— George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Regarding new arrivals, Rodri is ruled out for Sunday's match, training individually, but Joao Cancelo is deemed ready and could feature against Elche, with Flick highlighting his fantastic technique and offensive prowess.

— Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of prowess

Noun

The studio has released seven titles that have won 10 Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards, with voice talent including Glenn Close, Jennifer Hudson, Ethan Hawke, John Legend, Lupita Nyong’o, Daisy Ridley and Oprah Winfrey.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Everyone from Sabrina Carpenter to Taylor Swift to Barack Obama has honored Parton, calling out her talent, her kindness, and her sense of giving.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of talent

Noun

Rhaenyra also dismisses Mysaria, a wise move carried out in a very unwise manner, given the woman’s cunning.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Nolan foregrounds the nobility that guides the character (his guilt, his dedication to his men, his yearning for his family) and neglects his wily cunning and egotism.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026

Definition of cunning

Browse Nearby Words

cleverly

cleverness

cliché

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“Cleverness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleverness. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of cleverness

noun

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