canny

adjective

ˈka-nē How to pronounce canny (audio)
Definition of cannynext
1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 canny Still, the novel properly belongs to Jordan, a creation as canny and protean as the story itself. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Already an industry veteran at the tender age of 13, Jackson made this first official solo foray — a canny move by Motown head Berry Gordy to further capitalize on the Jackson 5’s immense popularity. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Aug. 2026 People queue up for scoops of their favorite flavors, but canny sweet teeth should keep an eye on the restaurant’s social media to see what new creations are in the case. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026 First-time Nolan players factored into canny casting decisions like Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, Leguizamo as Eumaeus, and Charlize Theron as Calypso. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for canny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canny
  1. smart
  2. comfortable
  3. astute
  4. relaxed
  5. shrewd
  6. savvy
Adjective
  • There will always be smart people, tech people, who don't have the world's best interests in mind.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And now there is Trudie’s Tavern, which opened this past summer in Carroll Gardens, a smart little restaurant that’s the most ambitious, and the most accomplished, of the three.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of smart
Adjective
  • Mercury in your partnership house squares Mars in your 4th, creating friction between another person’s perspective and what feels comfortable or settled to you.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Hats, comfortable walking shoes and sunscreen are also advised.
    — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of comfortable
Adjective
  • One of the grid’s most astute late-nineteenth-century critics, the geologist John Wesley Powell, decried its environmental recklessness.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • As some astute readers have pointed out, Gen has piled up a lot of dirty laundry this season.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of astute
Adjective
  • Alongside iconic locations often featured in films and TV, West Hollywood offers a relaxed neighborhood spirit which Stay AKA perfectly taps into.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Inside, the house has a mix of formal reception rooms and more relaxed spaces, along with a custom kitchen and dining area and a main bedroom suite.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of relaxed
Adjective
  • In another shrewd move from Neon, the studio announced that when Oscar season rolls around, Borisov will be running in the lead-actor category and Garfield in supporting alongside Rylance and Barbaro.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026
  • As an adolescent, Winston could hardly have imagined the cascading effect of his shrewd eye for color and clarity.
    — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of shrewd
Adjective
  • But other fairly savvy users among tech mavens don’t point to urgent needs that only Muse can satisfy.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Newsom has started two podcasts of his own, and has fomented a reputation as one of the more media-savvy members of the Democratic Party.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of savvy

Browse Nearby Words

cannons
canny
canoe
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Cite this Entry

“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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