savvy 1 of 3

noun

Definition of savvynext
as in skills
knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something she's an excellent scholar of political science, but lacks the kind of savvy needed to run for public office

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

savvy

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsa-vē How to pronounce savvy (audio)
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment a particularly savvy investor, he was among the first to see the potential in tech stocks

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savvy

3 of 3

verb

as in to know
to have a clear idea of the man growled, "Don't ever date my daughter again—you savvy?"

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of savvy
Noun
Leveraging her innate social media savvy, Desai, who faced discrimination in previous careers, revolutionized client acquisition by cold-DMing prospects, quickly outselling her peers. — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 His achievements speak to his scientific credentials, but also to his ambition and savvy. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Adjective
Coleman is a savvy slot receiver who can make defenders miss. — Omar Kelly august 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 But the other piece of AISI news last week makes clear just what sort of challenges de Zoete will face—and is indicative of why AISI may not really be the exemplar of savvy AI governance that its boosters like to crow about. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
Neither side has played to the best of their abilities thus far, but both powerhouses have been smart and savvy enough to get the job done. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 15 July 2026 Some may not be obvious to the casual observer, or even to savvy energy wonks. — Alexandra Klass, The Conversation, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for savvy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for savvy
  1. skills
  2. smart
  3. know
  4. experience
  5. astute
  6. understand
  7. expertise
  8. shrewd
Noun
  • That kind of collective learning is especially important in the era of AI as distinctly human skills like attention span, curiosity, judgment, empathy and collaboration become more valuable, Kavanagh and Danielson argued.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • That means redesigning processes and workflows alongside the technology, investing in new skills and creating a culture where employees understand how AI can augment their work rather than simply automate it.
    — Jill Standish, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of skills
Adjective
  • But by defending in this way, Chelsea are giving smart opponents the advantage in the battle for possession.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But getting there wasn’t just about making smart product decisions.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of smart
Verb
  • The death came as the festival endured another year with weather woes, including rain on Friday that temporarily closed a main gate to festival grounds known as Black Rock City.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • As the commission moved toward a vote on the plan, there was a certain resignation among the ballroom skeptics, who knew that they were outnumbered.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of know
Noun
  • Together, the workforce brings more than 250 combined years of Minuteman III experience at each base, according to the Air Force.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • To be with people of different ages, races, and experiences is a gift.
    — Gloria Steinem, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of experience
Adjective
  • The audience is in on the mockery of this dim-witted man, whose astute wife can see right through him.
    — Stephanie Vander Wel, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There is too much going on here for this novel to work, but Andersen is an uncommon writer, a skilled historical novelist as well as an astute cultural observer and historical interpreter.
    — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of astute
Verb
  • By studying who farts more, who farts less and how flatulence changes with diet, researchers aim to understand how microbes respond to different foods and why some people can tolerate high-fiber diets comfortably while others struggle with gas.
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Scientists have long sought to understand the link between climate change and El Niño.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of understand
Noun
  • Catholic leaders and fellow scholars say Levine was chosen for her expertise, praising her election as a sign of deeper interfaith cooperation.
    — Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Ternus’s expertise in executing on Apple’s product roadmap and maintaining the company’s high engineering standards signals a commitment to a central pillar of the Apple brand, even as the company seeks to evolve with the times.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of expertise
Adjective
  • Ndiaye in particular has excited fans and could be a shrewd addition.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • With just over a month remaining before the start of training camp, Perry has reportedly made another shrewd salary cap move to avoid the NBA luxury tax.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of shrewd

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Cite this Entry

“Savvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/savvy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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