1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comfortable
chiefly Scottish
enjoying physical comfort
warm and canny under the woolen bedcovers, we didn't mind the chilly Scottish nights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canny
Thatcher gets to explore a few different directions for Iris over the course of Companion, including numbing dullness, canny super-expertise, and steely aggression on par with the Terminator.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025
The show explores how Nara’s personal life informs his work, and highlights his canny ability to blend childlike innocence with political rebellion.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 5 June 2025
Animation Station Vampire Hunter D This stone-cold, ’80s goth anime classic is rarely available to stream legally, and the dual Hidive-Shudder collaborative release is a canny way to present it.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 2 June 2025
Herberger was both a good tactician and a canny man-manager.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025
The show explores how Nara’s personal life informs his work, and highlights his canny ability to blend childlike innocence with political rebellion.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 5 June 2025
Animation Station Vampire Hunter D This stone-cold, ’80s goth anime classic is rarely available to stream legally, and the dual Hidive-Shudder collaborative release is a canny way to present it.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 2 June 2025
Herberger was both a good tactician and a canny man-manager.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for canny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canny
Adjective
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If you’re just getting started with rebounding and want something compact and easy to use (that doesn’t cost a small fortune), here’s a smart entry point.—
Jordan Galloway,
SELF,
15 July 2025
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If your primary goal is to maximize workspace while ensuring your computer can grow with your needs, a mini-PC paired with a quality monitor is a smarter, longer-lasting solution.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Dress comfortably: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to stay comfortable.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
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Madueke’s ability to play on the left could also help Arsenal, but that may come down to whether Arteta is comfortable playing a left-footer on that side.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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As many of our astute commenters guessed, between the peeing on himself and the trouble getting it up, Harry Goldenblatt has prostate cancer.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
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An astute and compassionate portrait of sisterhood, flaws and all, the dynamics between the characters are sublime.—
Fran Littlewood
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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This loose-fitting garment, made from 100 percent cotton, not only allows air to pass through the material, but also in and out of the relaxed neck, armholes, and hem.—
Danielle Calma,
Travel + Leisure,
13 July 2025
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Their light and fresh tones evoke thoughts of sunny days and relaxed, vacation-ready style.—
René Chávez Esparza,
Glamour,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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In its pleasantly complicated world-building, the series manages to be a shrewd political thriller, a cracking adventure, and a haunting religious allegory rolled into one.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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Beyond long-running The Lawrence Welk Show, which debuted on ABC on this day in 1955, Welk was a bandleader, an accordion player, and a shrewd businessman synonymous with squeaky-clean (and older-skewing) entertainment.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Contributing: Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
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Similarly, the winning formula behind Mamdani’s campaign – savvy use of social media – is not particularly hard for other progressive candidates to replicate.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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