Astute: Definition & Meaning for the SAT
⚡️ ASTUTE most nearly means: (A) stubborn; (B) perceptive; (C) generous; (D) foolish. 👉 Answer + examples, pronunciation, and full SAT explanation inside.
TL;DR: Astute means having sharp judgment and the ability to assess situations accurately. Memory trick: Think of a smart person 'tooting' 🎺 his own horn--this person is ASTUTE.
ℹ️ Part of Speech of Astute
astute is an ADJECTIVE.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Astute
astute is pronounced /ə.ˈstut/ or uh-STOOT.
📚️ Definition of Astute
Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage; mentally sharp or clever. Example: an astute businesswoman who tends to make good longterm decisions.
📰 Examples of Astute
Here are some examples of the word astute:
The astute interviewer noticed the CEO's nervous habit of touching his ear whenever he dissimulated. (<= That there is a $10 word if there ever was one.)
My grandmother may be 92 years young, but she's still astute enough to spot a scam email better than some of my friends.
The astute student recognized that her Psych 101 professor always pulled exam questions from the chapter summaries, so she focused her studying on those questions.
✅ Quiz answer
Answer to the question above:
B, perceptive. Explanations: A doesn't work; stubborn means unwilling to change, not clever. C is incorrect; generous means giving or kind, which has nothing to do with being sharp-minded. D is the opposite—foolish means lacking good judgment, while astute means having excellent judgment.

