Sagacious.
Synonyms:
| able, | intelligent, | perspicacious, | sensible, |
| acute, | keen, | quick of scent, | sharp, |
| apt, | keen-sighted, | quick-scented, | sharp-witted, |
| clear-sighted, | keen-witted, | rational, | shrewd, |
| discerning, | judicious, | sage, | wise. |
Sagacious refers to a power of tracing the hidden or recondite by slight indications, as by instinct or intuition; it is not now applied to mere keenness of sense-perception. We do not call a hound sagacious in following a clear trail; but if he loses the scent, as at the edge of a stream, and circles around till he strikes it again, his conduct is said to be sagacious. In human affairs sagacious refers to a power of ready, far-reaching, and accurate inference from observed facts perhaps in themselves very slight, that seems like a special sense; or to a similar readiness to foresee the results of any action, especially upon human motives or conduct—a kind of prophetic common sense. Sagacious is a broader and nobler word than shrewd, and not capable of the invidious sense which the latter word often bears; on the other hand, sagacious is less lofty and comprehensive than wise in its full sense, and more limited to matters of direct practical moment. Compare ASTUTE; WISDOM.
Antonyms:
| absurd, | foolish, | ignorant, | obtuse, | silly, | sottish, | undiscerning, |
| dull, | futile, | irrational, | senseless, | simple, | stupid, | unintelligent. |