Clever vs That's a good one

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Clever

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adjective

That's a good one

Informal Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Most formal: Clever Most common: Clever

	Clever	That's a good one
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈklevə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈklevər/"]/	🇬🇧 //ðæts ə ɡʊd wʌn// 🇺🇸 //ðæts ə ɡʊd wʌn//
Meaning	Smart and good at finding solutions.	That's funny or clever.
Example	She is very clever and always solves the puzzles quickly.	When he said he could juggle knives, I said, 'That's a good one!'
Register	Neutral	Informal
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR level	A2	-
Part of speech	adjective
Collocations	be, seem, sound, extremely, fairly, very, at, with, too clever by half, too clever for your own good, be, seem, sound, extremely, fairly, very, at, with, too clever by half, too clever for your own good, be, extremely, fairly, very, be, seem, sound, extremely, fairly, very, at, with, too clever by half, too clever for your own good	that's a good joke, that's a good point, that's a good idea
Antonyms	dull, stupid, foolish	That's a bad one, That's a poor one, That's a terrible one
Common mistakes	Confused with 'smart' - 'clever' often implies resourcefulness., Used incorrectly as a noun - remember it’s an adjective., Overused in formal contexts where 'intelligent' might be more suitable.	Using it in formal situations where humor isn't appropriate., Confusing with 'that's a good idea' which is more serious., Incorrectly using it to respond to serious statements.
Usage notes	Used to describe someone who is intelligent or quick-witted. Can be used positively or negatively depending on context. For example, it's good to be clever in problem-solving, but can imply cunning if used in a different context.	Use this phrase when someone makes a joke or a clever remark. It's informal and best in casual settings.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

Clever Hobbits to climb so high.

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

and there's the clever one.

Sherlock › S1 E1

Why a taxi? Oh, that's clever.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

Clever Hobbits to climb so high.

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

and there's the clever one.

Clever

No, no, no. That's a good one.

That's a good one

Frequently asked questions: Clever vs That's a good one

What's the difference between Clever and That's a good one?

Clever: Smart and good at finding solutions. That's a good one: That's funny or clever.

Which is more formal: Clever and That's a good one?

Clever is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Clever and That's a good one?

Clever is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Clever: She is very clever and always solves the puzzles quickly. That's a good one: When he said he could juggle knives, I said, 'That's a good one!'

Can I use Clever and That's a good one interchangeably?

Not always. Clever and That's a good one are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.