What does "canny" mean?
Careful, prudent, cautious.
Canny
/ˈkæni/ adj, adv, name
adj, adv, name ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Careful, prudent, cautious.
- Grammar: canny is listed as adj, adv, name.
- Nearest alternatives: clever, acute, adroit, arch.
- Useful contrasts: careless, extravagant, foolish.
- Usage evidence: The canny entrepreneur realized that the ballistic missiles, which had once carried nuclear weapons and which the former enemies no longer needed, could easily be converted to civilian rockets for the peaceful exploration of space.
How to use "canny"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "canny" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "canny" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "canny" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "canny" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "canny" is acting as adj, adv, name in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "clever" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "canny", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Careful, prudent, cautious.
"The politician gave a canny response to the reporter’s questions."
- 2 Natural, normal. proscribed
"I should have been glad to be assured that she prayed when on her knees, or read when that book was before her; I should have felt that she was more canny and human."
- 3 Sounding as if it is coming through a tin can. especially
"The rear sounds sounded canny compared to the front ones. And you also have to adjust the volume so both pair of speakers are at the same level, […]"
- 4 Knowing, shrewd, astute.
"The canny lawyer knew just how to get what he wanted."
- 5 Frugal, thrifty.
"canny investments"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Friendly, pleasant, fair, agreeable; (sometimes) funny. Northumbria, Scotland
"She’s a canny lass hor like!"
- 7 Gentle, quiet, steady. Northumbria, Scotland
"a canny horse"
Adjective
- 1 showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Very, considerably; quite, rather. Northumbria, not-comparable
"a canny long journey"
- 2 Gently, quietly; carefully, skilfully. Northumbria, Scotland, not-comparable
"he sits very canny"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"The canny entrepreneur realized that the ballistic missiles, which had once carried nuclear weapons and which the former enemies no longer needed, could easily be converted to civilian rockets for the peaceful exploration of space."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "canny"?
Common synonyms include: clever, acute, adroit, arch, artful, astute.
How do you use "canny" in a sentence?
The canny entrepreneur realized that the ballistic missiles, which had once carried nuclear weapons and which the former enemies no longer needed, could easily be converted to civilian rockets for the peaceful exploration of space.
How do you pronounce "canny"?
Pronounced /ˈkæni/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Northern English dialect, from can (“to know”) ( + -y), from Middle English can, first and third person singular of cunnen, connen (“to be able, know how to”), from Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”). Compare Scots canny, English cunny, Old English cann (“knowledge, assertion”). More at can, cunning.
Etymology 2
Back-formation from uncanny.
Etymology 3
can (“more or less cylindrical metal container”) + -y