SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS

astute

adjective

Quick to notice and understand important details.

Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.

Perceptive and practically wise

Closest synonyms

Related words and expressions

These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.

Usage distinction

Canny emphasizes practical caution; perspicacious is a formal alternative for keen perception.

Return to top
Test this word in the Comprehensive Synonym Exam

CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT

See astute in use

An astute reader noticed the contradiction in the final paragraph.
Dictionary practice example.
A small gallery asked volunteers to review labels for a student exhibition. Jules was a discerning reader who noticed subtle differences between confident description and unsupported interpretation. His astute suggestion was to compare each label with the artist's own notes.
From The Value of a Closer Look.

Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.

Synonym reference scope and sources

The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.

How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license

Back to synonym resultsOpen this word's definitionBoth dictionaries
Return to top