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shrewdness

UK/ˈʃɹuːdnəs/US/ˈʃɹuːdnəs/
nounC1Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #14,858 of 15,258neutral

Shrewdness is sharp practical judgement about people and gain. Business shrewdness.

It is praise with a faint edge, since it implies self-interest as well as insight. Shrewdness is about reading a situation rather than knowing anything.

Definitions of shrewdness

  1. 1nounshrewdnessSharp practical judgement about people and gain.C1

    “The shrewdness of the offer only became clear a year later.”

shrewdness is a quality.

Where it comes from

  1. Middle English

    schrewednesse

  2. English, today

    shrewdness

From Middle English schrewednesse.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

shrewdness in the wild

  • Named after the title of the clan chief Alexander Ranaldson MacDonell of Glengarry, who invented it. gumption Common sense or shrewdness. halloween haver or haiver To talk nonsense.

    List of English words of Scots origin

  • A captain's knowledge of the complexities of cricket strategy and tactics, and shrewdness in the field, may contribute significantly to the team's success.

    Captain (cricket)

  • The Roman commander, for all his rashness, handled the situation with skill and shrewdness to manipulate the events to his advantage.

    Marcus Minucius Rufus

  • Despite the tract's brevity, Toralles displays a wide knowledge of current events, shrewdness, and capacity for concision.

    Joan Toralles

  • A distinguished and capable administrator he remained loyal to all kings through a mix of shrewdness, and cunning.

    John Prophet

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.