streetwise
adjective
street·wise
| \ ˈstrēt-ˌwīz
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Definition of streetwise
: possessing the skills and attitudes necessary to survive in a difficult or dangerous situation or environment
Examples of streetwise in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, Chamberland, who had developed a streetwise swagger but few family bonds, moved in with a man twice her age. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "She’s been bounced through more than a dozen foster homes. And she’s just 6," 24 Aug. 2019 While Burberry, Balmain, and Tom Ford all embraced the muted shade with classic bourgeois stylings on the runways, Bieber’s take on the look was more casual and streetwise in attitude. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Hailey Bieber Steps Out In Fashion’s Coolest New Neutral Shade," 19 Nov. 2018 The collections mix his streetwise sensibility—Spring 2011 features gowns to look like T-shirts tucked into skirts—with his skill as a craftsman. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "A Brief History of Raf Simons’s Storied Career in Fashion," 22 Dec. 2018 Some of his backstory will look familiar: streetwise Brooklyn kid is forced to attend a fancy prep school by his parents, doesn't fit in, yadda yadda yadda, spider-bite, hero. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," 14 Dec. 2018 Sancia is more tormented and more streetwise than any hobbit, and Clef builds a rapport with her, unlike Bilbo’s Ring. — Tom Shippey, WSJ, "Science Fiction: A Bit of Magic Isn’t Always Enough," 12 Oct. 2018 Indeed, Brennan’s voice is softer than his face, and different from the streetwise directness of his brother. — Mattathias Schwartz, New York Times, "A Spymaster Steps Out of the Shadows," 27 June 2018 Since Nike unveiled its streetwise design for the Nigeria's World Cup team kit three months ago, there has been a frenzy online from people eager to splash out $90 for a shirt. — Stephanie Busari And Chris Giles, CNN, "Nigeria World Cup kit sells out in minutes as fakes flood Lagos markets," 1 June 2018 If Real have an unquantifiable amount of streetwise-ness in the competition, Liverpool can boast the most prolific attacking trio in Champions League history. — Matias Grez, CNN, "Mo Salah wins sixth individual award in an incredible season," 14 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'streetwise.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for streetwise
streetwise
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of streetwise
: having the knowledge needed to survive in difficult and dangerous places or situations in a city
See the full definition for streetwise in the English Language Learners Dictionary