Wit vs. Clever — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Wit and Clever
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Compare with Definitions
Wit
Wit is a form of intelligent humour, the ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny. Someone witty is a person who is skilled at making clever and funny remarks.
Clever
Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent
How clever of him to think of this!
She was an extremely clever and studious young woman
Wit
The capacity for inventive thought and quick understanding; keen intelligence
She does not lack perception or native wit
He needed all his wits to figure out the way back
Clever
Healthy or well
I was up and about by this time though still not too clever
Wit
A natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humour
His caustic wit cuts through the humbug
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Clever
Mentally quick and original; bright
A clever student.
Wit
Have knowledge
I addressed a few words to the lady you wot of
Clever
Skilled at accomplishing things, especially with the hands
A clever carpenter.
Wit
That is to say (used to be more specific about something already referred to)
The textbooks show an irritating parochialism, to wit an almost total exclusion of papers not in English
Clever
Crafty; cunning
"a hard-working kid who rose from poverty, only to be duped by rich, clever bankers" (Jeff Goodell).
Wit
The natural ability to perceive and understand; intelligence.
Clever
Exhibiting ingenuity or imagination; creative or artful
A clever experiment.
Wit
Often wits Practical intelligence; shrewdness or resourcefulness
Living by one's wits.
Clever
Witty; amusing
An evening of clever repartee.
Wit
Wits Sound mental faculties; sanity
Scared out of my wits.
Clever
Characterized by cunning or shrewdness
Clever manipulation of public opinion.
Wit
(Archaic) A person of exceptional intelligence.
Clever
New England Easily managed; docile
"Oxen must be pretty clever to be bossed around the way they are" (Dialect Notes).
Wit
The ability to express oneself intelligently in a playful or humorous manner, often in overturning audience expectations
A writer with a scintillating wit.
Clever
Chiefly Southern US Good-natured; amiable.
Wit
A person noted for this ability, especially in conversation
“My mother, the family wit and teaser, knew better than to joke about the disaster” (Donald Hall).
Clever
Nimble with hands or body; skillful; adept.
Wit
Intelligent playfulness or humor in expression, as in speech, writing, or art
Novels known for their wit and inventiveness.
Clever
Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.
Wit
To be or become aware of; learn.
Clever
Mentally quick and resourceful.
A simple but clever trick to solve the problem.
Clever like a fox
Wit
To know.
Clever
Skilled at achieving what one wants, especially via unusual methods.
With a clever lawyer, she could easily be acquitted.
Wit
Sanity.
He's gone completely out of his wits.
Clever
Smart, intelligent, or witty; mentally quick or sharp.
Wit
The senses.
Clever
(of objects or actions) Showing inventiveness or originality; witty.
Wit
Intellectual ability; faculty of thinking, reasoning.
Where she has gone to is beyond the wit of man to say.
Clever
Possessing magical abilities.
Wit
The ability to think quickly; mental cleverness, especially under short time constraints.
My father had a quick wit and a steady hand.
Clever
(obsolete) Fit; suitable; having propriety.
Wit
Intelligence; common sense.
The opportunity was right in front of you, and you didn't even have the wit to take it!
Clever
(obsolete) Well-shaped; handsome.
Wit
Humour, especially when clever or quick.
The best man's speech was hilarious, full of wit and charm.
Clever
Good-natured; obliging.
Wit
A person who tells funny anecdotes or jokes; someone witty.
Your friend is quite a wit, isn't he?
Clever
Fit and healthy; free from fatigue or illness.
Wit
Know, be aware of constructed with of when used intransitively.
You committed terrible actions — to wit, murder and theft — and should be punished accordingly.
They are meddling in matters that men should not wit of.
Clever
Possessing quickness of intellect, skill, dexterity, talent, or adroitness; expert.
Though there were many clever men in England during the latter half of the seventeenth century, there were only two great creative minds.
Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever.
Wit
(Southern American English) with
Clever
Showing skill or adroitness in the doer or former; as, a clever speech; a clever trick.
Wit
To know; to learn.
Brethren, we do you to wit [make you to know] of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia.
Thou wost full little what thou meanest.
We witen not what thing we prayen here.
When that the sooth in wist.
Clever
Having fitness, propriety, or suitableness.
"T would sound more cleverTo me and to my heirs forever.
Wit
Mind; intellect; understanding; sense.
Who knew the wit of the Lord? or who was his counselor?
A prince most prudent, of an excellentAnd unmatched wit and judgment.
Will puts in practice what wit deviseth.
He wants not wit the dander to decline.
Clever
Well-shaped; handsome.
Wit
A mental faculty, or power of the mind; - used in this sense chiefly in the plural, and in certain phrases; as, to lose one's wits; at one's wits' end, and the like.
I will stare him out of his wits.
Clever
Good-natured; obliging.
Wit
Felicitous association of objects not usually connected, so as to produce a pleasant surprise; also. the power of readily combining objects in such a manner.
The definition of wit is only this, that it is a propriety of thoughts and words; or, in other terms, thoughts and words elegantly adapted to the subject.
Wit which discovers partial likeness hidden in general diversity.
Wit lying most in the assemblage of ideas, and putting those together with quickness and variety wherein can be found any resemblance or congruity, thereby to make up pleasant pictures in the fancy.
Clever
Skillful (or showing skill) in adapting means to ends;
Cool prudence and sensitive selfishness along with quick perception of what is possible--these distinguish an adroit politician
Came up with a clever story
An ingenious press agent
An ingenious scheme
Wit
A person of eminent sense or knowledge; a man of genius, fancy, or humor; one distinguished for bright or amusing sayings, for repartee, and the like.
In Athens, where books and wits were ever busier than in any other part of Greece, I find but only two sorts of writings which the magistrate cared to take notice of; those either blasphemous and atheistical, or libelous.
Intemperate wits will spare neither friend nor foe.
A wit herself, Amelia weds a wit.
But my five wits nor my five senses canDissuade one foolish heart from serving thee.
Clever
Showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others;
A cagey lawyer
Too clever to be sound
Wit
A message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
Clever
Mentally quick and resourceful;
An apt pupil
You are a clever man...you reason well and your wit is bold
Wit
Mental ability;
He's got plenty of brains but no common sense
Clever
Showing inventiveness and skill;
A clever gadget
The cunning maneuvers leading to his success
An ingenious solution to the problem
Wit
A witty amusing person who makes jokes
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