What does shrewdly mean?
Shrewdly is an adverb meaning that something is done with shrewdness: sharp perception, sound judgment, and an ability to anticipate advantages or difficulties. It commonly describes decisions, negotiations, estimates, choices, and observations that show careful thinking rather than luck or impulse. For example, a negotiator who secures favorable terms may have acted shrewdly, while a strategist who anticipated an opponent’s move has used the word aptly. The term usually has a favorable or neutral connotation, although it can suggest calculation, opportunism, or a desire to gain an advantage when the surrounding context is critical. Shrewdly is especially useful in formal and professional writing because it precisely conveys both intelligence of judgment and strategic awareness.
adverbIn a shrewd, perceptive, or strategically advantageous manner.
- In a perceptive, cunning, or strategically advantageous manner.
"She shrewdly identified the central weakness in the proposal before anyone else raised it."
"The committee shrewdly postponed the decision until more information was available."
"He shrewdly negotiated a better price without seeming confrontational."
Shrewdly is the adverb for seeing the point others have missed—and knowing exactly what to do about it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shrewdly come from?
The word shrewdly is formed from the adjective shrewd with the adverbial suffix -ly. Shrewd developed in Middle English from a word related to shrew, originally associated with small, often cunning animals, and came to mean crafty or astute. Its modern sense of practical cleverness and sound judgment is established, while the related forms shrew and shrewish preserve older associations with smallness and sharpness.
Related word forms
How shrewdly is actually used
Shrewdly is usually positive or neutral when it describes good judgment, but it can carry a slightly critical tone when it implies excessive calculation or opportunism.
Easily confused with shrewdly
Shrewdly describes action marked by cleverness and sound judgment, whereas crudely describes action that is coarse, insensitive, or poorly developed.