Silly vs. Clever: What's the Difference?
Silly and Clever Definitions
Silly
Having or exhibiting a lack of good judgment or common sense; foolish.
Clever
Mentally quick and original; bright
A clever student.
Silly
Lacking seriousness or responsibleness; frivolous
Indulged in silly word play.
Silly pet names for each other.
Clever
Skilled at accomplishing things, especially with the hands
A clever carpenter.
Silly
Semiconscious; dazed
Knocked silly by the impact.
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Clever
Crafty; cunning
"a hard-working kid who rose from poverty, only to be duped by rich, clever bankers" (Jeff Goodell).
Silly
Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance.
Clever
Exhibiting ingenuity or imagination; creative or artful
A clever experiment.
Silly
(of numbers, particularly prices) Absurdly large.
Clever
Witty; amusing
An evening of clever repartee.
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Silly
Blessed, particularly:
Clever
Characterized by cunning or shrewdness
Clever manipulation of public opinion.
Silly
Good; pious.
Clever
New England Easily managed; docile
"Oxen must be pretty clever to be bossed around the way they are" (Dialect Notes).
Silly
Holy.
Clever
Chiefly Southern US Good-natured; amiable.
Silly
Pitiful, inspiring compassion, particularly:
Clever
Nimble with hands or body; skillful; adept.
Silly
Innocent; suffering undeservedly, especially as an epithet of lambs and sheep.
Clever
Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.
Silly
Helpless, defenseless.
Scared silly
Clever
Mentally quick and resourceful.
A simple but clever trick to solve the problem.
Clever like a fox
Silly
Insignificant, worthless, especially with regard to land quality.
Clever
Skilled at achieving what one wants, especially via unusual methods.
With a clever lawyer, she could easily be acquitted.
Silly
Weak, frail; flimsy use concerning people and animals is now obsolete.
Clever
Smart, intelligent, or witty; mentally quick or sharp.
Silly
Sickly; feeble; infirm.
Clever
(of objects or actions) Showing inventiveness or originality; witty.
Silly
Simple, plain, particularly:
Clever
Possessing magical abilities.
Silly
Rustic, homely.
Clever
(obsolete) Fit; suitable; having propriety.
Silly
(obsolete) Lowly, of humble station.
Clever
(obsolete) Well-shaped; handsome.
Silly
Mentally simple, foolish, particularly:
Clever
Good-natured; obliging.
Silly
(obsolete) Rustic, uneducated, unlearned.
Clever
Fit and healthy; free from fatigue or illness.
Silly
Thoughtless, lacking judgment.
Clever
Possessing quickness of intellect, skill, dexterity, talent, or adroitness; expert.
Though there were many clever men in England during the latter half of the seventeenth century, there were only two great creative minds.
Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever.
Silly
(Scottish) Mentally retarded.
Clever
Showing skill or adroitness in the doer or former; as, a clever speech; a clever trick.
Silly
Stupefied, senseless; stunned or dazed.
Clever
Having fitness, propriety, or suitableness.
"T would sound more cleverTo me and to my heirs forever.
Silly
Very close to the batsman, facing the bowler; closer than short.
Clever
Well-shaped; handsome.
Silly
Sillily: in a silly manner.
Clever
Good-natured; obliging.
Silly
(colloquial) A silly person.
Clever
Skillful (or showing skill) in adapting means to ends;
Cool prudence and sensitive selfishness along with quick perception of what is possible--these distinguish an adroit politician
Came up with a clever story
An ingenious press agent
An ingenious scheme
Silly
A term of address.
Clever
Showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others;
A cagey lawyer
Too clever to be sound
Silly
(colloquial) A mistake.
Clever
Mentally quick and resourceful;
An apt pupil
You are a clever man...you reason well and your wit is bold
Silly
Happy; fortunate; blessed.
Clever
Showing inventiveness and skill;
A clever gadget
The cunning maneuvers leading to his success
An ingenious solution to the problem
Silly
Harmless; innocent; inoffensive.
The silly virgin strove him to withstand.
A silly, innocent hare murdered of a dog.
Silly
Weak; helpless; frail.
After long storms . . . With which my silly bark was tossed sore.
The silly buckets on the deck.
Silly
Rustic; plain; simple; humble.
A fourth man, in a sillyhabit.
All that did their silly thoughts so busy keep.
Silly
Weak in intellect; destitute of ordinary strength of mind; foolish; witless; simple; as, a silly woman.
Silly
Proceeding from want of understanding or common judgment; characterized by weakness or folly; unwise; absurd; stupid; as, silly conduct; a silly question.
Silly
A word used for misbehaving children;
Don't be a silly
Silly
Pungent adjectives of disesteem;
Gave me a cockamamie reason for not going
Wore a goofy hat
A silly idea
Some wacky plan for selling more books
Silly
Lacking seriousness; given to frivolity;
A dizzy blonde
Light-headed teenagers
Silly giggles
Silly
Inspiring scornful pity;
How silly an ardent and unsuccessful wooer can be especially if he is getting on in years
Silly
Dazed from or as if from repeated blows;
Knocked silly by the impact
Slaphappy with exhaustion
