as in mind
the normal or healthy condition of the mental abilities
scared out of her wits
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Recent Examples of wits
Without getting into spoilers, her one-and-done appearance in Episode 5 presents the perfect opportunity for the more-than-capable Meester to match wits with Bell’s judgmental Joanna, only to strand the actor with boring, obvious jokes and saddle her with a feeble resolution.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Oct. 2025
With tensions rising, the film transforms into an unsettling black comedy as the colleagues descend into a battle of wills and wits.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
And as the cast — including Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield who play the accuser and the accused, respectively — engage in an unflinching battle of wits, navigating one knotty maneuver after another, what stands out is their clothes, which are as sharp as the dialogue.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
The film centers on American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), who is tasked with determining whether Nazi prisoners are fit to stand trial for their atrocities and finds himself in a complex battle of wits with former Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), Hitler’s right-hand man.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
But since Baku presents one of F1’s most challenging tests with its tight and twisting corners that punish the smallest of mistakes, the McLaren pair will need to keep their wits about them to bring home the team’s first trophy of the season in what has been such a stellar year for them.
—Yara Elshebiny, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Borrego’s family were at their wits end trying to find him, Fernandez said.
—Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
But will any of us fans still have our wits by then?
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Oct. 2025
With tensions rising, the film transforms into an unsettling black comedy as the colleagues descend into a battle of wills and wits.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
And as the cast — including Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield who play the accuser and the accused, respectively — engage in an unflinching battle of wits, navigating one knotty maneuver after another, what stands out is their clothes, which are as sharp as the dialogue.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
The film centers on American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), who is tasked with determining whether Nazi prisoners are fit to stand trial for their atrocities and finds himself in a complex battle of wits with former Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), Hitler’s right-hand man.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
But since Baku presents one of F1’s most challenging tests with its tight and twisting corners that punish the smallest of mistakes, the McLaren pair will need to keep their wits about them to bring home the team’s first trophy of the season in what has been such a stellar year for them.
—Yara Elshebiny, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Borrego’s family were at their wits end trying to find him, Fernandez said.
—Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
But will any of us fans still have our wits by then?
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wits
Noun
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Of the respondents, 30% said having a conversation about family health history had never crossed their minds and 20% said their families don't talk about health openly.—
Renée Onque,
CNBC,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The future is at the forefront of your mind.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In real life, Springsteen’s insistence on scaling back—with Landau’s support—may have saved his life, or at least his sanity.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Lawler, the best known of the young actors thanks to her breakout work in Station Eleven, brings welcome awkward humor, while Stack, with the series’ most complex character, conveys an uneasy grasp on sanity that the rest of the show isn’t really prepared to deal with.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wits. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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