foxy

adjective

ˈfäk-sē How to pronounce foxy (audio)
foxier; foxiest
Synonyms of foxynext
1
: resembling or suggestive of a fox
a narrow foxy face
: such as
a
: cunningly shrewd
b
: of a warm reddish-brown color
foxy eyebrows
2
: having a sharp brisk flavor
foxy grapes
3
: physically attractive
a foxy lady
foxily
ˈfäk-sə-lē How to pronounce foxy (audio)
adverb
foxiness
ˈfäk-sē-nəs How to pronounce foxy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of foxy

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sly, cunning, crafty, wily, tricky, foxy, artful, slick mean attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means.

sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

Examples of foxy in a Sentence

the oft-told story of the foxy flatterer who works her way up the ladder of success by stepping on people as she goes
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kors himself joined the actress on the red carpet in a classic, low-key tuxedo, allowing Zendaya all the spotlight for this foxy moment. — Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024 Red hair, especially in a bolder format like foxy red, implies a fearlessness of being perceived and a sense of staunch individuality. — Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 28 Sep. 2024 Over the weekend, his foxy friend, Pete Hegseth, announced a new policy that requires journalists with Pentagon press credentials to sign a pledge promising not to report information that hasn't been explicitly authorized for release. — Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025 Over the weekend, his foxy friend Pete Hegseth announced a new policy that requires journalists with Pentagon press credentials to sign a pledge promising not to report information that hasn't been explicitly authorized for release, that includes unclassified information. — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foxy

Word History

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foxy was in 1528

Rhymes for foxy

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Browse Nearby Words

fox wolf
foxy
foy
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Cite this Entry

“Foxy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foxy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

foxy

adjective
ˈfäk-sē How to pronounce foxy (audio)
foxier; foxiest
1
: resembling a fox in appearance
2
: cunning and careful in planning and action
3
: physically attractive
foxily
-sə-lē How to pronounce foxy (audio)
adverb
foxiness
-sē-nəs How to pronounce foxy (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on foxy

Nglish: Translation of foxy for Spanish Speakers

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