canny

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Larijani is a true insider, a canny operator, familiar with how the system operates," Ali Vaez, the International Crisis Group's project director for Iran, said before the Middle East war began.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

He has also homed in on a canny, powerful message that could prove to have wider appeal than O’Rourke’s.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

Curran is often credited with having a canny mix of slower balls but he has largely kept his pace above 80mph in those crucial final stages.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

But they had a coffee and chatted and he seemed "nice, quite canny".

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

“Ophelia, such a course would be vain and dangerous. Claudius is more canny that you know. For proof, I have important news from Hamlet.”

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein