astute

A1S1T1U1T1E1
/əsˈtjuːt/

adjective

Quickly and critically discerning.

“astute remark”

Similar
craftyshrewdwilyknowingsharpsmart
OriginLatin astūtus →
Less commonScrabble 6
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Meanings

adjectiveastute (comparative astuter, superlative astutest)

comparative astuter · superlative astutest

  1. Quickly and critically discerning.
  2. Shrewd or crafty.

    astute remark

    3 more examples

    astute analysis

    astute observation

    The best headteachers are like submarine captains – cool-headed, astute decision-makers – who trust their colleagues and surroundings to indicate where their ship is headed.

    23 September 2014, A teacher, “Choosing a primary school: a teacher's guide for parents”, in The Guardian

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
craftyshrewdwilyknowing

adjectivemarked by practical hardheaded intelligence

Similar
sharpshrewdsmart
Also see
artfulbrainybrightcunningdiabolicalgroundedingeniousintelligentkeenprudentquick on the uptakequickwittedsagacioussapientsharpsharp as a tacksharp-wittedshrewdslimsmartsubtlewilywise

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinastūtus
  2. Englishastute

From Latin astūtus, from astus (“craft”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans skerpsinnig
  • skerpsinnigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Arabic دَاهٍ, الدَّاهِي
  • دَاهٍ (dāhin)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • الدَّاهِي (ad-dāhī)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
Basque azeri
  • azeriQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Bulgarian хитър, проницателен
  • хитър (hităr)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • проницателен (pronicatelen)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
Catalan astut
  • astutQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Chinese Mandarin 精明
  • 精明 (jīngmíng)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
Czech prohnaný, mazaný
  • prohnanýQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • mazanýQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • prozíravýQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Danish dreven, kvik
  • drevenQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • kvikQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • skarpsindigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Dutch scherpzinnig
  • scherpzinnigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Finnish terävä, neuvokas
  • teräväQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • neuvokasQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
French astucieux, avisé
  • astucieuxQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • aviséQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • sagaceQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
German gerissen, listig
  • gerissenQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • listigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • scharfsinnigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Hungarian ravasz
  • ravaszQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Icelandic slyngur, kænn
  • slyngurQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • kænnQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • séðurQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Irish amhainseach, amhnas
  • amhainseachQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • amhnasQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Italian avveduto
  • avvedutoQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Japanese 抜け目のない
  • 抜け目のない (nukemenonai)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
Māori mūrere, pūmahara
  • mūrereQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • pūmaharaQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • kokoiQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Norwegian Bokmål dreven, kvikk
  • drevenQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • kvikkQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • skarpsindigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • listigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • sluQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Polish chytry, przebiegły
  • chytryQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • przebiegłyQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Portuguese astuto
  • astutoQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Russian проница́тельный, хи́трый
  • проница́тельный (pronicátelʹnyj)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • хи́трый (xítryj)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • сообрази́тельный (soobrazítelʹnyj)Quick at seeing how to gain advantage
Spanish astuto, sagaz
  • astutoQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • sagazQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • perspicazQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Swedish skarpsinnig, knipslug
  • skarpsinnigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • knipslugQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • listigQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • slugQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Tagalog tuso
  • tusoQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
Turkish basiretli, keskin zekâlı
  • basiretliQuick at seeing how to gain advantage
  • keskin zekâlıQuick at seeing how to gain advantage

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with astute

suiteminuterouteutcuteshootdisputeacutesubstitutepursuitqtcomputerecruitfluterebootbuttemuteBeirutsalutecommutebrutelootmootnewt
All rhymes →

Anagrams

statue
Cite this entry
APA

astute. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/astute

MLA

“astute.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/astute. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “astute,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/astute.

Source: astute on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.