canniness
Keen practical wisdom
Canniness is shrewd caution—the quality of being careful, clever, and not easily fooled.
A person with canniness knows when to hold back and when to act: Her canniness in negotiations saved the company millions.
The word carries a sense of practical wisdom, especially about money or self-interest, without the negative edge of cunning.
Shrewd perceptiveness
- shrewdnessKeen practical judgment
- acumenSharpness of mind
- sagacityPenetrating mental acuity
- perspicacityKeen mental perception
sharpness · keenness · discernment · perceptiveness · insightfulness · wisdom · judiciousness · prudence
Shrewd, devious cleverness
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
- artfulnessClever, crafty skill
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
foxiness · deviousness · trickiness · scheming · calculation · manipulation · stealth · subtlety
Clever, original thinking
- resourcefulnessAbility to solve problems creatively
- adroitnessSkillful ease in action
- deftnessSkillful ease of movement
- finesseSubtle, deft handling
adeptness · skillfulness · capability · competence · expertise · proficiency · knack · facility
astuteness
Shrewd perceptiveness
- shrewdnessKeen practical judgment
- acumenSharpness of mind
- sagacityPenetrating mental acuity
perspicacity · sharpness · keenness · discernment · perceptiveness · insightfulness · wisdom · judiciousness · prudence · foresight
craftiness
Shrewd, devious cleverness
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
- artfulnessClever, crafty skill
guile · foxiness · deviousness · trickiness · scheming · calculation · manipulation · stealth · subtlety · slipperiness
ingenuity
Clever, original thinking
- resourcefulnessAbility to solve problems creatively
- adroitnessSkillful ease in action
- deftnessSkillful ease of movement
finesse · adeptness · skillfulness · capability · competence · expertise · proficiency · knack · facility · practicality
- mental sharpnessmental agility, mental clarity, mental focus, acumen, sharp mind
canninessstupidity
Lack of intelligence
foolishness · witlessness · brainlessness · senselessness · doltishness
canninessnaivety
Innocent lack of experience
naïveté · naiveness · naiveté · innocence · ingenuousness
canninessguilelessness
Absence of cunning
artlessness · openness · transparency · ingenuousness · candor