1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a canny card player, good at psyching out his opponents
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2
as in comfortable
chiefly Scottish
enjoying physical comfort
warm and canny under the woolen bedcovers, we didn't mind the chilly Scottish nights
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Examples of canny in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Walz, who has gained recognition for his canny folksiness, could offer a counterbalance to Harris’ Californian background, potentially strengthening the Democratic ticket in areas where the party has long struggled.
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Nik Popli, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
This book, in its blazing assurance, tells a thin and partial tale, frayed by silences that feel more like blind spots than like the canny omissions of old.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Obama, for his many successes and misfires, provided a canny lesson in the limits of representation, and the true intentions of government.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 2 Aug. 2024
Kiera Sheehan, who was Lady Macbeth at last year’s festival, carefully creates a defiant and canny Katherina, who has her own personal reasons for seeming to submit to Petruchio’s whims.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for canny 
Nik Popli, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
This book, in its blazing assurance, tells a thin and partial tale, frayed by silences that feel more like blind spots than like the canny omissions of old.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Obama, for his many successes and misfires, provided a canny lesson in the limits of representation, and the true intentions of government.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 2 Aug. 2024
Kiera Sheehan, who was Lady Macbeth at last year’s festival, carefully creates a defiant and canny Katherina, who has her own personal reasons for seeming to submit to Petruchio’s whims.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for canny
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'canny.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Canny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canny. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.
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