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

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Penn perfectly captures Ern’s clueyness and cleverness, and David has brought bags of wit and heart to the script. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleverness

Noun

Minnesota signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2025, and his ability to play numerous positions keeps him on the roster.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The volume of options can outrun the firm’s ability to commit.

— Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of ability

Noun

Bonnell appears to be treating software as another part of the motorcycle's suspension system and something that can be adjusted to suit the rider’s preferences, skill, and terrain.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
This may not come as a surprise in a world not only of AI, but widespread access to technology that requires ordinary people to develop typing skills.

— Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of skill

Noun

Additionally, neurodivergent team members often bring high levels of creativity, problem-solving skills, and resilience under pressure.

— Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Cole did worry that curators might overemphasize the diagnosis, that King would no longer be an artist but an autistic artist, and therefore a symbol of something—resilience, perhaps, or liberation through creativity.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of creativity

Noun

Hyppolite’s big-play prowess, along with a solid night from running back John Gray, led the way as North Miami Beach easily handled North Miami 27-7 to improve to 2-0 on the season.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, Mikael Wood waxed on Parton’s storytelling prowess in her music.

— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of cleverness

noun

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