Granted his cleverness, he may still be mistaken.
Source: tatoeba (280153)
Cleverness
/ˈklɛvɚnəs/
Synonyms for "cleverness" (186 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (38)
Strong matches (55)
Related words (93)
malleabilitymarksmanshipmastershipmasterymental alertnessmercurial mindmoldabilitymotivationnative clevernessnimble mindnimble-wittednessnimblenessnousone upmanshipone-upmanshiporiginalitypenetrationplasticitypleasantrypliability
Show 62 more words
practical abilityproficiencyprowesspungencyquick partsquick thinkingquick witquick-wittednessquicknessreadinessready witreceptivityresourceresourcefulnesssaltinesssatanic cunningsavoir-fairesavvyseamanshipsharp-wittednesssharpnessshiftinessshrewdnessskillskillfulnessslipperinessslynesssmartnesssmartssneakinesssophistrysprightly witstealthstealthinessstylesubtiltysubtlenesssubtletysupplenesssusceptibilitytacttactfulnesstalentteachabilityteachablenesstechnical brilliancetechnical masterytechnical skilltechniquetimingtrainablenesstrickinessvirtuositywarinesswilewileswilinesswillingnesswitwittinesswizardryworkmanship
Noun(10 words)
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: ingenuity, ability, acuity, acuteness, address.
- Sentence evidence is available for cleverness, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "cleverness".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "cleverness"
Keep "cleverness" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "cleverness" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "cleverness", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "cleverness" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriescreative thinkingcreativenesscreativityhigh qualityintelligencemental abilitypersonality traitpsychological traitsuperiority
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesacademic clevernesscleverness quotientcognitive clevernesscultural clevernesspractical clevernessstreet cleverness
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
19 translations across 9 languages.
Ancient Greek
1 entries- δεξιότης noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Bulgarian
2 entries- интелигентност noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
- способност noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Czech
1 entries- chytrost noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Gothic
1 entries- 𐍃𐌽𐌿𐍄𐍂𐌴𐌹 noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Irish
2 entries- abúlacht noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
- aibíocht noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- dyktighet noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Romanian
2 entries- deșteptăciune noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
- inteligență noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Scottish Gaelic
2 entries- gliocas noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
- tapadh noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Spanish
4 entries- agudeza noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
- astucia noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
- habilidad noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
- ingenio noun (being clever, mentally sharp)
Sample sentences
11 total sentences available.
For all his cleverness, he is always reluctant to give his views.
Source: tatoeba (300885)
He has a name for cleverness.
Source: tatoeba (304612)
I'm astonished by her cleverness.
Source: tatoeba (309849)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "cleverness"?
Closest matches include ingenuity, ability, acuity, acuteness, address.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "cleverness"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.