clever

adjective

clev·​er ˈkle-vər How to pronounce clever (audio)
1
a
: skillful or adroit in using the hands or body : nimble
clever fingers
b
: mentally quick and resourceful
a clever young lawyer
2
: marked by wit or ingenuity
a clever solution
a clever idea
the play's clever dialogue
3
dialect
a
: good
b
: easy to use or handle
cleverish adjective
cleverly adverb
cleverness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for clever

clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving.

clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude.

a person clever with horses

adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties.

an adroit negotiator

cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating.

a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects

ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something.

an ingenious software engineer

synonyms see in addition intelligent

Examples of clever in a Sentence

All of Laptsev went to stare at the bride-to-be—she was no beauty, but everyone could see that she was clever, sophisticated … Isaac Bashevis Singer, New Yorker, 29 Sept. 2003
… the three of them may give Gray Davis, who was too clever for his own good, his comeuppance. Garrison Keillor, Time, 25 Aug. 2003
Some thought he had no redeeming value whatsoever. A sociopath. A clever manipulator … Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2002
Those who can't write poetry, write clever letters to the editor. Those who can't write clever letters to the editor, write angry letters to the editor. Matt Groening, Utne Reader, November/December 1987
The old lady was clever enough and he thought that if she had started from any of the right premises, more might have been expected of her. Flannery O'Connor, Everything That Rises Must Converge, 1967
Some cats are clever enough to figure out how to operate doorknobs. That's the cleverest idea I've heard yet! She found a clever hiding place for the letter.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The argument that Trump has violated the 10th Amendment is a clever subversion of a line of thinking that has traditionally been backed by conservative judges, said Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law. Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 That dish is clever, for sure, but it’s served in an oddly gargantuan portion, and its playful clash of textures and temperatures wears out its welcome after a bite or two. Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 8 June 2025 Barenaked Ladies, Sugar Ray and Fastball Three lively, strident bands known for clever lyrics and fun banter relive the 1990s for you on July 13 at 7 p.m. at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2025 Then there were the clever puns, such as A Kick Up The R’s (QPR), the Leyton Orientear and The Exe-Directory (Exeter City). Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for clever

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cliver, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish dialect kløver alert, skillful

First Known Use

circa 1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of clever was circa 1595

Cite this Entry

“Clever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clever. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

clever

adjective
clev·​er ˈklev-ər How to pronounce clever (audio)
1
: showing skill especially in using one's hands
clever fingers
2
: quick in learning
a clever pupil
3
: showing wit or imagination
a clever idea
cleverish adjective
cleverly adverb
cleverness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on clever

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