Wit

n.joyful, capableformal

Meaning 1

Quick intelligence used to notice connections or respond resourcefully.

Reach for it when praising mental agility beyond humor

Her wit found a workable route through the rules before the deadline.

everyday
quick thinking
when speed of mental response is the visible strength
not when Quick thinking can be purely practical and contain no verbal wit.
warm
resourcefulness
when limited options are used inventively
not when Resourcefulness can be patient and nonverbal rather than witty.
professional
ingenuity
when a clever practical solution is the achievement
not when Ingenuity creates or solves, while wit can simply perceive and respond quickly.
professional
intelligence
when broad capacity to understand and learn is central
not when Intelligence is a much larger trait claim than the quick resourcefulness of wit.

The ability to express ideas through clever, apt humor.

Reach for it when praising humor whose intelligence and timing matter

His gentle wit made the difficult lesson memorable.

everyday
cleverness
when intellectual play gives the joke its appeal
not when Cleverness can feel showy or tricky and does not guarantee good humor.
everyday
humor
when the ability to amuse is enough
not when Humor can be broad, physical, or absurd without wit's cleverness.
literary
drollery
when oddly understated amusement suits the tone
not when Drollery is rare and narrower than wit in general.
literary
repartee
when quick witty exchange between people is the form
not when Repartee requires dialogue and does not describe a crafted caption or story.

quick wit
Her quick wit found a kind reply before the insult could settle.
sharp wit
His sharp wit targeted the policy, never the people affected by it.
wit and humor
The essay uses wit and humor to make its evidence easier to remember.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.