Clever
Clever adjective - Showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing.
Usage example: an inventor who was constantly coming up with clever devices for doing everyday chores
Ingenious is a synonym for clever in shrewd topic. In some cases you can use "Ingenious" instead an adjective "Clever", when it comes to topics like artful, crafty, skilful, tricky. popular alternative
Nearby Words: cleverness, cleverly
Ingenious
Ingenious adjective - Having the skill and imagination to create new things.
Usage example: an ingenious but rather eccentric inventor
Clever is a synonym for ingenious in shrewd topic. You can use "Clever" instead an adjective "Ingenious", if it concerns topics such as property, character trait, smart, artful. popular alternative
Nearby Words: ingenuity, ingeniously
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- Something described as "brilliant" may not be particularly clever or ingenious; "Here's your tea," "Ah, brilliant".
Source: Useful Notes / British English - The Crown of All Things in The Last Watch was sealed in a most ingenious manner, but Merlin thoughtfully left a rather clever riddle behind.
Source: Only Smart People May Pass - The tactics of the Red Army in World War II could be odd by Western European standards, but they were often very ingenious making clever use of nature and elaborate deception operations.
Source: Strategy Versus Tactics
Cite this Source
Ingenious and Clever. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/clever/ingenious
Clever & Ingenious. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/clever/ingenious>.
Ingenious or Clever. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/clever/ingenious.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "clever" and "ingenious" have occurred on timeline