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astute

adjective
as·​tute | \ É™-ˈstüt How to pronounce astute (audio) , a-, -ˈstyüt\

Definition of astute

: having or showing shrewdness and an ability to notice and understand things clearly : mentally sharp or clever an astute observer astute remarks also : crafty, wily
Other Words from astute Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym The Difference Between Astute, Shrewd, and Sagacious More Example Sentences Learn More about astute

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Other Words from astute

astutely adverb
astuteness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for astute

shrewd, sagacious, perspicacious, astute mean acute in perception and sound in judgment. shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment. a shrewd judge of character sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness. sagacious investors got in on the ground floor perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden. a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill. an astute player of party politics

The Difference Between Astute, Shrewd, and Sagacious

Astute is similar in meaning to shrewd and sagacious, but there are subtle differences in connotation among them. All three suggest sharp thinking and sound judgment, but shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment ("a shrewd judge of character"), whereas sagacious implies wisdom and foresight combined with good judgment ("sagacious investors"). Astute, which derives from the Latin noun astus, meaning "craft," suggests cleverness, mental sharpness, and diplomatic skill ("an astute player of party politics").

Examples of astute in a Sentence

We thought they were not very intellectually astute, but we didn't really understand how political a lot of what they were doing was. — Ben Wallace-Wells, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2007 He asked astute diagnosticians around the country how they approached and cracked difficult diagnoses and what happened when they failed. Misdiagnosis is not an insignificant problem: Groopman cites a finding that between one in six and one in seven patients is incorrectly assessed. — Ruth Levy Guyer, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2007 And finally, even if she had never actually uttered the bon mot that would be famously attributed to her, that if she had two heads, she would risk one in the king's service, could the astute young duchess actually have had input into the implausible negotiations? — Harvey Rachlin, Scandals, Vandals, and Da Vincis, 2007 Focusing largely upon Western alchemy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, she has a sharp eye for how alchemical images surface in literature of that period. Readers of Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, and William Shakespeare will find illuminating insights. Abraham reveals the far reaches of her astute literary intelligence by analyzing alchemical imagery encoded in a broad range of works, from Chaucer and Milton to Vladimir Nabokov and P. G. Wodehouse. — Norman Weinstein, Parabola, November 1999 He is an astute observer of the current political scene. Astute readers will notice the error. His analysis of the battle was very astute.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Meanwhile, Conte is known as being tactically astute, ensuring that his team is defensively sound, whilst also possessing enough to hurt teams in the final third. — SI.com, "10 of the Best Group Stage Games to Look Forward to in This Season's Champions League," 30 Aug. 2019 Asked about the Dodgers’ home run power, major league scouts first cite the team’s talent but also suggest the team is astute at devising a game plan. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: For Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, power dominance parallels days as San Diego prep QB," 26 Aug. 2019 The uncanny maturity that made Sagan’s name as a novelist is most strongly in evidence in her astute portrayal of love as a psychical event that has its roots in family life and the early formation of personality. — Rachel Cusk, The New Yorker, "Françoise Sagan, the Great Interrogator of Morality," 21 Aug. 2019 Michael Bennet, an astute senator from Colorado but an underwhelming orator, may have showed enough spark to attract a second look. — I.k. | Washington, The Economist, "Joe Biden comes under fire in the second Democratic debate," 1 Aug. 2019 Mandy Schaaf, the shelter's volunteer and special event coordinator, calls Chelsea very astute. — Mike Mccleary, chicagotribune.com, "‘Kitty therapy’ at animal shelter benefits teen with autism," 1 Aug. 2019 In the week ahead take advantage of opportunities and use your astute observations to spin some straw into gold. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, "Horoscope for July 21, 2019: Happy birthday Diane Guerrero; Scorpio, now is the time to expand your horizons," 21 July 2019 David played a very smart social game during Camp Comeback while making very astute observations about the power dynamics in the house. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, "Big Brother producer addresses bullying in the house," 21 July 2019 The delicate way the movie explores poverty is a perfect example of how Arnold's astute eye could've honed in on the financial inequality between the characters of Big Little Lies, which is all but glossed over in Season 2. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Big Little Lies Season 2 Failed Director Andrea Arnold," 12 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'astute.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of astute

1565, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for astute

Latin astutus, from astus craft

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More Definitions for astute

astute

adjective
as·​tute | \ É™-ˈstüt How to pronounce astute (audio) , -ˈstyüt\

Kids Definition of astute

: very alert and aware : clever an astute observer

Other Words from astute

astutely adverb He astutely pointed out the fake jewels.

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More from Merriam-Webster on astute

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with astute

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for astute

Spanish Central: Translation of astute

Nglish: Translation of astute for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of astute for Arabic Speakers

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