Despite adversity, the ingenious man achieved worldwide fame.
Source: tatoeba (19888)
Ingenious
/ɪnˈd͡ʒiːnjəs/
Synonyms for "ingenious" (172 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (35)
Adjective(10 words)
acuteadeptadroitaptarchartfulartisticastuteauthoritativebravurabrightbrilliantcageycannycleancleverconceptiveconceptualcoordinatedcrack
Show 4 more words
Noun(1 words)
artistic movement
Strong matches (51)
Related words (86)
Adjective(12 words)
keenknowingmachiavellianmachiavellicmagisterialmastermasterfulmasterlymercurialneatno meannotionalon the balloriginaloriginativepawkypoliticpregnantproductiveprofessional
Show 49 more words
proficientprolificquickquite somereadyresourcefulschemingseminalserpentineshapingsharpshiftyshrewdskilledskillfulslickslimslipperyslysmartsmoothsnakysneakysomesophisticalstatesmanlikestealthystrategicstylishsubtilesubtlesuppletactfultacticaltalentedteemingthe compleatthe completetrickishtricksytrickyvirtuosovisionedvulpinewarywell donewell-donewilyworkmanlike
Determiner(1 words)
most art technique
Noun(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: clever, acrobatic, acute, adept, adroit.
- Sentence evidence is available for ingenious, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, 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 "ingenious".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "ingenious"
Keep "ingenious" 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 "ingenious" 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 "ingenious", 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 "ingenious" 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
3 entriesMore specific
4 entriesclever solutioningenious designingenious deviceingenious method
Collocations
5 entriesingenious approachingenious designingenious deviceingenious methodingenious solution
Inflections
2 entriesmore ingeniousmost ingenious
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
25 translations across 12 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- остроумен adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Catalan
1 entries- enginyós adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Chinese Mandarin
2 entries- 热情的 adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- 独创的 adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Dutch
1 entries- vernuftig adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Finnish
2 entries- nokkela adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- terävä adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
German
4 entries- einfallsreich adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- findig adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- geistreich adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- geistsprühend adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Greek
2 entries- δαιμόνιος adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- πολυμήχανος adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Hungarian
1 entries- leleményes adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Russian
4 entries- замысловатый adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- затейливый adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- оригинальный adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- остроумный adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Sanskrit
1 entries- चतुर adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Scottish Gaelic
2 entries- seòlta adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
- teòma adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Spanish
1 entries- ingenioso adj (witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious)
Sample sentences
15 total sentences available.
Edison was an ingenious person.
Source: tatoeba (65326)
The ingenious man received the prestigious award for the first time.
Source: tatoeba (282699)
The ingenious boy won a prize for his invention.
Source: tatoeba (325324)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "ingenious"?
Closest matches include clever, acrobatic, acute, adept, adroit.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "ingenious"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.