# wise

/ˈwaɪz/ (US) · /wˈaɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wise
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. showing good judgment

adjective · CEFR B1

having or showing good judgment and the ability to make right decisions based on experience.

For teachers: possessing or exhibiting sound judgment and discernment, typically derived from experience and reflection.

- It was a wise decision to save some money for emergencies.
- The elder's wise counsel prevented the community from making a hasty decision that would have had long-term negative consequences.

### 2. disrespectful or rude

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

acting in a way that is rude or shows a lack of respect, often by trying to seem too clever.

For teachers: exhibiting an insolent or impudent attitude; often used in the phrase 'get wise with someone'.

- Don't get wise with me, or you will be in big trouble.
- The student's wise remarks during the lecture eventually exhausted the professor's patience, leading to a formal reprimand.

### 3. aware of something

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal

knowing about something, especially a secret or a trick.

For teachers: possessing knowledge or awareness of a particular fact or situation, often used with the preposition 'to'.

- The police were already wise to the gang's plan to rob the bank.
- By the time the marketing campaign launched, the public was already wise to the company's deceptive pricing strategies.

Usage: Commonly follows the pattern 'wise to [something]'.

### 4. to become informed

verb · CEFR B2 · Slang

to learn the truth about a situation or to stop being tricked.

For teachers: to become aware of or informed about a situation, typically used in the phrasal verb 'wise up'.

- You need to wise up and realize that he is just using you.
- The administration finally wised up to the fact that their outdated software was causing significant security vulnerabilities.

Usage: Almost exclusively used as the phrasal verb 'wise up'.

### 5. way or manner

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

the way or method of doing something.

For teachers: the manner, way, or respect in which something happens or is done.

- The story begins in this wise: a young man leaves his home to find adventure.
- The ancient chronicles describe the coronation in this wise, detailing every ritual performed by the high priests.

Teaching tip: In modern English, this sense survives mainly in suffixes like 'clockwise' or 'otherwise' rather than as a standalone noun.

## Examples

- It is wise to save some money for the future.
- She sought advice from a wise old mentor who had worked in the industry for forty years.
- The committee made a wise decision to delay the launch, prioritizing long-term brand stability over the immediate pressure of quarterly earnings reports.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.