✅ Astute describes a perceptive way of thinking (That was a very astute statement).

✅ Discerning describes someone who shows very good judgment and understanding (a discerning eye for quality).

✅ These terms can both describe someone who has a good understanding and perceptiveness about the world around them (We market toward the discerning consumer; She was astute and had good business sense).

✅ Astute emphasizes shrewdness, whereas discerning emphasizes judgment.

✅ Fearless describes someone who is without fear, especially someone who is bold and intrepid (a fearless adventurer).

✅ Dauntless describes someone bold and intrepid (a dauntless investigator).

✅ Both of these words describe someone who acts without fear or who doesn’t let fear factor into their decisions (She made fearless decisions; They were dauntless in the pursuit of justice).

✅ Smart means to be clever, shrewd, or quick (a smart student; a smart thing to say).

✅ Sagacious means to be shrewd and having good judgment (a sagacious analysis).

✅ These words both mean to be intelligent, particularly with regard to practical things (a smart businessperson; a sagacious manager).

✅ Smart has a more general meaning and can refer to having any kind of intelligence.