perspicacious

as in wise
formal having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious She considers herself a perspicacious judge of character. The critic made some perspicacious observations about the film.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective perspicacious differ from other similar words?

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.

a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade

When is astute a more appropriate choice than perspicacious?

Although the words astute and perspicacious have much in common, astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill.

an astute player of party politics

In what contexts can sagacious take the place of perspicacious?

The synonyms sagacious and perspicacious are sometimes interchangeable, but sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness.

sagacious investors got in on the ground floor

When could shrewd be used to replace perspicacious?

While in some cases nearly identical to perspicacious, shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment.

a shrewd judge of character

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 perspicacious The 'perspicacious' Marvin Harrison Jr., and what that means for the Cardinals Like the former Ohio State star, Devin, 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, also was a receiver. Doug Haller, The Athletic, 29 July 2024 If a new Bridgerton-sibling romance each season is the series’ gimmick, then Penelope has proven to be its soul—a vividly realistic protagonist whose perspicacious alter ego tethered each fairytale courtship to earth. Judy Berman, TIME, 14 June 2024 More perspicacious than angry invective alone, that alchemy of tones has been her signature since the early ’90s, when a 20-something Hanna fronted Bikini Kill, the punk band that became the most visible act associated with the third-wave feminist movement known as riot grrrl. TIME, 7 May 2024 One of the few perspicacious journalists of the Trump era, Graeme Wood, put it pithily: The Deep State is in the White House, and Trump appointed it. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 13 Dec. 2023 With the help of friends in the publishing world, Jaffrey’s draft landed in the hands of the perspicacious Knopf editor Judith Jones in 1971. Mayukh Sen, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023 Photographs show Pym looking jolly and perspicacious, with charmingly crooked English teeth. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perspicacious
Adjective
  • Guidance and tariffs Dover made a few wise adjustments to its full-year outlook.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Deferring college acceptance—postponing enrollment typically for one year—can be a thoughtful strategy when life circumstances, personal goals or practical considerations suggest that waiting might be the wiser path.
    Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Part of the United States’ brilliant nineteenth-century strategy was also its superlative domestic economic policy, combining Low Taxes with a very business-friendly regulatory framework.
    Nathan Lewis, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Through costume design, along with her brilliant acting, the audience gets to know who Emilia is at the core.
    Aleah Wright, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The clever exploration of contrasts — marrying delicate fabrics, soft palettes, and masculine silhouettes — was the label’s unique formula for winning over fashion’s insiders, including powerhouse Moda Operandi.
    Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The film follows 11-year-old Caroline (Johnson), a clever, sharp-eyed girl navigating a life of excitement and peril as a shoplifter with her mom Jocelyn (Williams).
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Yes, Love Hotel might be Bravo’s most emotionally intelligent experiment yet.
    Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Talos, Pandora and other artificially intelligent entities had already set the stage for humans to explore this idea.
    Sofia Giannuzzi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But smart leaders know that not all bets are created equal—and not all uncertainty plays by the same rules.
    Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Yamaha started with their largest offshore outboard, the XTO 450, and made some smart changes to handle hydrogen.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In footage shared with Newsweek by Ring, the super smart pooch can be seen quite literally knocking on the door with his paw, evidently keen to be let back into the house.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Prince William is stepping up in his duties to help his father, who reportedly isn’t keen to hand over the throne anytime soon.
    Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This compact security camera offers exceptional value and robust features in a tiny design.
    Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this exceptional community.
    Prime Development, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Only the most astute short-term traders can do well in wild markets; ordinary investors need to keep calm and ignore all the headlines and price gyrations.
    Sal Gilbertie, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • At the same time, Scott’s act of mass ventriloquism—patient, playful, physically astute and ultimately brave—clarifies something at the heart of Chekhov’s play.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perspicacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicacious. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

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