intelligent

adjective

in·​tel·​li·​gent in-ˈte-lə-jənt How to pronounce intelligent (audio)
1
a
: having or indicating a high or satisfactory degree of intelligence and mental capacity
b
: revealing or reflecting good judgment or sound thought : skillful
2
a
: possessing intelligence
b
: guided or directed by intellect : rational
3
a
: guided or controlled by a computer
especially : smart sense 7c compare dumb sense 7
b
: able to produce printed material from digital signals
an intelligent copier
intelligential adjective
intelligently adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for intelligent

intelligent, clever, alert, quick-witted mean mentally keen or quick.

intelligent stresses success in coping with new situations and solving problems.

an intelligent person could assemble it fast

clever implies native ability or aptness and sometimes suggests a lack of more substantial qualities.

clever with words

alert stresses quickness in perceiving and understanding.

alert to new technology

quick-witted implies promptness in finding answers in debate or in devising expedients in moments of danger or challenge.

no match for his quick-witted opponent

Examples of intelligent in a Sentence

She asked some intelligent questions. He's a hard worker but he's not very intelligent.
Recent Examples on the Web Absorbing the quiet, lead-by-example work ethic of Jackson Rowe, the play-everywhere versatility of Davon Clare, the efficient and intelligent Austen Awosika, who showed San Antonio the intricacies of playing point guard in college. Brian Robin, Orange County Register, 23 Mar. 2024 Gainer was 'super intelligent, kind' According to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up to help Gainer's family pay for funeral expenses, the teen was active in the community. Brian Day, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024 In music streaming, large language models make music discovery increasingly intelligent and the company upgraded its virtual DJ with more songs for users. Patrick Frater, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 Almost all of them described Mr. Deshmukh as intelligent, charismatic, capable and hardworking. Joseph Bernstein, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 These jays are intelligent and are known to slip through treetops to rob nests of other birds. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Lane’s off the field presence stands out just as much as his statistics, according to Germany, who said Lane is a fun loving kid who is intelligent and great to be around. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2024 This is a piece of intelligent cinema entertainment that should resonate with buyers in many markets. Lise Pedersen, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 It’s bolted to a 9 speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, and then routed into an all wheel drive traction control system, with intelligent traction management and hill start assist. Tony Leopardo, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intelligent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin intelligent-, intelligens, present participle of intelligere, intellegere to understand, from inter- + legere to gather, select — more at legend

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of intelligent was circa 1540

Dictionary Entries Near intelligent

Cite this Entry

“Intelligent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intelligent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

intelligent

adjective
in·​tel·​li·​gent in-ˈtel-ə-jənt How to pronounce intelligent (audio)
1
a
: possessing intelligence
humans are intelligent beings
b
: showing a higher than average degree of intelligence
an intelligent student
c
: revealing or reflecting good judgment or sound thought
an intelligent decision
2
: able to perform computing tasks : controlled by a computer
an intelligent terminal
intelligently adverb

Legal Definition

intelligent

adjective
in·​tel·​li·​gent
: having or indicating a high or satisfactory degree of intelligence and mental capacity
especially : having or indicating an understanding of the nature and consequences of an act or decision
a knowing and intelligent waiver of counsel
compare knowing

Note: Under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966), a waiver of rights must be knowing and intelligent.

intelligently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on intelligent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!