Definitions

savvy

[sav-ee] / ˈsæv i /

ADJECTIVE

shrewd

Synonyms

STRONG

acute calculating cunning discerning experienced keen knowing sharp slick smart smooth wise

WEAK

astute brainy cagey canny clever crafty farsighted foxy heady in the know ingenious intelligent judicious on the ball perceptive sagacious sensible sly streetwise

Antonyms

STRONG

blunt coarse dull ignorant inexperienced kind naive obtuse rough slow stupid unclever unintelligent unstylish

NOUN

shrewdness

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acumen awareness insight intellect intelligence judgment know-how knowledge sense

STRONG

comprehension discernment experience grasp grip knowing mastery perception perceptiveness sharpness smarts understanding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ignorance inability ineptness stupidity

STRONG

misconception misinterpretation mistake misunderstanding release

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for savvy?

Savvy is most commonly used as an adjective to describe a person who’s generally knowledgeable, experienced, and well-informed. Synonyms that capture these same qualities are shrewd, astute, and canny. These terms often suggest that a person is generally intelligent and knows how to handle different situations, especially practical matters—that they’re discerning and have good judgment. Savvy can also be used as a noun referring to general shrewdness and common sense. Synonyms for this sense include acumen and know-how. The word savviness can mean the same thing. Sometimes, savvy is used in combination with other words that indicate the specific area in which someone is knowledgeable or experienced, such as tech-savvy and computer-savvy. Savvy is also sometimes used as a slang term at the end of a sentence, essentially as a way of saying Do you understand? Other ways of saying this are Capiche? (or Capeesh?), Understood? (or Understand?), and Got it?

What is the difference between astute and savvy?

Savvy and astute are close synonyms, and both can be applied to people and to comments, observations, decisions, etc. Calling a comment or observation astute often implies that it’s insightful. Calling a comment or observation savvy often implies that it’s wise and based on a depth of knowledge and experience.

Is it savy or savvy?

It’s spelled savvy, with two v’s. You can remember this by remembering that it doesn’t rhyme with navy or wavy or gravy, which all have one v.

What is the opposite (antonym) of savvy?

Savvy suggests knowledge, experience, and common sense. Words that capture the opposite of this include naive, ignorant, and obtuse. A more informal term is clueless. Calling someone savvy is a compliment. Using any of these terms to describe someone would be insulting.

How do you use savvy in a sentence?

Savvy is often applied to people or their comments, decisions, etc. It’s most commonly used as an adjective, and sometimes it’s paired with another word. It can also be used as a noun. Here are some examples of savvy in a sentence:

Our users are savvy—they know how it should work and they’ll certainly let us know when it doesn’t.
It was a savvy decision that demonstrated her depth of experience.
He had no business savvy at all—he lost money on every deal he ever made.
I knew he’d be great at game design since he’s always been so tech-savvy.

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.

"I think being a little bit more savvy, understanding that being too honest at times is probably too much of a fault for us."

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

To help make grocery trips a bit easier, I consulted the savvy shoppers on the r/budgetfood subreddit.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

While Si was tied to the glitz and glamour of magazine business Condé Nast, Donald was a newspaper man at heart, known as a financially savvy publisher who respected his papers’ editorial independence.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Paramount Chief Legal Officer Makan Delrahim has made several savvy tactical moves since joining Ellison’s Melrose Avenue firm last fall.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

And he was savvy enough to understand that the more attention he got from the news media, the easier it would be to coax corporations to open their checkbooks.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

savvy

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

Vocabulary lists containing savvy

This Week in Words: August 11 - 17, 2018

The Things They Carried

Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"

savvy

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

Related Words

Vocabulary lists containing savvy

This Week in Words: August 11 - 17, 2018

The Things They Carried

Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"