What does shrewd mean?

Definition of shrewd

1a : marked by clever discerning awareness and hardheaded acumen shrewd common sense. b : given to wily and artful ways or dealing a shrewd operator. 2a : severe, hard a shrewd knock. b : sharp, piercing a shrewd wind.

What are antonyms of covetous?

antonyms for covetous
  • benevolent.
  • generous.
  • giving.

Is shrewd negative?

Shrewd is similar to astute as both words are used to describe sound judgment and practical intelligence. Since shrewd has a negative connotation, it’s usually used to describe someone who is sharp and intelligent, but potentially underhanded at the same time.

Who is a shrewd person?

A shrewd person is able to understand and judge a situation quickly and to use this understanding to their own advantage.

Is being shrewd a good thing?

“Shrewd” is not necessarily negative – to call a businessman shrewd is generally a compliment, meaning “taking advantage of hidden opportunities”. “Cunning” is more negative, meaning “good at deceiving people” (though in the past it used to be equivalent to “cute”!).

Is shrewd a positive word?

Similarly, the word shrewd has the label approving to show that this is a type of intelligence that the speaker feels positively about, as opposed to neutral words such as intelligent or wise or decidedly negative words such as cunning or crafty, which have connotations of dishonesty.

What is a shrewd woman?

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. Synonyms: astute, clever, sharp, knowing More Synonyms of shrewd.

What is an example of shrewd?

The definition of shrewd is sharp or intelligent with practical concerns. An example of shrewd is only spending money on necessities. Knowledgeable. Disposed to or marked by artful and cunning practices; tricky.

Does shrewd mean cunning?

synonym study for cunning

Cunning implies a shrewd, often instinctive skill in concealing or disguising the real purposes of one’s actions: not intelligence but a low kind of cunning.

What does shrewd at heart mean?

having or showing astute or sharp judgment in practical matters, sometimes at the cost of moral compromise: a shrewd businessman. cunning or tricky; artful.

What’s the difference between a shrewd person and a smart or wise person?

“Wise” is defined as having, experiencing or showing “knowledge and good judgement”, whereas “shrewd” is defined by as “having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute”.

Who is a cunning person?

Cunning people are clever at planning something so that they get what they want, especially by tricking other people, or things that are cleverly made for a particular purpose: a cunning plan/ploy. He’s a very cunning man. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Sly & devious.

Is being cunning good?

More often than not, to say that someone is cunning implies that the person is achieving his or her ends by deceit or evasion. However, in reality, being cunning is far from it. The actual concept of being cunning is to be worldly-wise.

Does cunning mean smart?

cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing. crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method. wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

How do you outsmart a manipulator?

6 ways to disarm a manipulator
  1. Postpone your answer. Don’t give them an answer on the spot. …
  2. Question their motivations. Manipulators often hide their real motivations because they don’t like to take responsibility for their own actions and behaviors. …
  3. Show disinterest. …
  4. Impose boundaries. …
  5. Keep your self-respect. …
  6. Apply fogging.