as in mind
the normal or healthy condition of the mental abilities
scared out of her wits
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Recent Examples of wits
What follows is an engrossing battle of wits that leads to some shocking revelations about the fractured reality of humanity.
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Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Dec. 2025
When two bumbling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) attempt to rob his home, Kevin begins an elaborately violent, slapstick battle of wits via booby traps involving a tarantula, paint buckets, and flamethrowers.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
But then Rivers, operating on pure wits and gall all game, tried to go back to the well.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025
Sondheim got to work at eight o’clock one night, devising a version of the murder game in which all the players would have to use their wits to untangle the mystery.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
Sarah is at the absolute end of her wits.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
Russell Crowe and Rami Malek face off in an historical battle of wits and Weltanschauung in James Vanderbilt's new film Nuremberg.
—NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
Much of the film’s drama then ensues inside Teddy and Don’s basement like a pseudo chamber piece as captor and captive face off in a battle of wits, logic and strange faith that blurs the lines between divisive politics, conspiracy and cosmic truth.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
Without getting into spoilers, her one-and-done appearance in Episode 5 presents the perfect opportunity for the more-than-capable Meester to match wits with Bell’s judgmental Joanna, only to strand the actor with boring, obvious jokes and saddle her with a feeble resolution.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wits
Noun
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Like, rot-your-mind, hindbrain stimulation, violence/gore/goofy villains-type fun.—
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However, the threat to personal safety while attending college can linger in the back of a student’s mind, potentially stoking fear among those who are just trying to earn their education.—
Noun
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Sharing this could save a trip, a holiday or at least someone’s sanity.—
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In the film, the pair star as young couple Grace and Jackson, who move from New York City to Jackson’s hometown in Montana and become parents, as Grace struggles to maintain her sanity after giving birth.—
Cite this Entry
“Wits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wits. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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