CUNNINGS Synonyms: 317 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'cunning' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of cunning are artful , crafty , foxy , slick , sly , tricky , and wily . While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing. // the cunning fox avoided the trap

Q: In what contexts can 'artful' take the place of 'cunning'?

While in some cases nearly identical to cunning , artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness. // elicited the information by artful questioning

Q: Where would 'crafty' be a reasonable alternative to 'cunning'?

The synonyms crafty and cunning are sometimes interchangeable, but crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method. // a crafty lefthander

Q: When is it sensible to use 'foxy' instead of 'cunning'?

The words foxy and cunning can be used in similar contexts, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing. // a foxy publicity man planting stories

Q: When could 'slick' be used to replace 'cunning'?

In some situations, the words slick and cunning are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile. // slick operators selling time-sharing

Q: When would 'sly' be a good substitute for 'cunning'?

Although the words sly and cunning have much in common, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods. // a sly corporate raider

Q: When might 'tricky' be a better fit than 'cunning'?

While the synonyms tricky and cunning are close in meaning, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering. // a tricky political operative

Q: When can 'wily' be used instead of 'cunning'?

The meanings of wily and cunning largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering. // the wily fugitive escaped the posse

cunning 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkə-niŋ

Definition of cunning

as in deceptive

clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means a cunning, underhanded plan to win the election by preying on people's fears and prejudices

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in skilled

skillful with the hands only the most cunning cabinetmaker could have crafted such a beautifully proportioned chest of drawers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cunning

2 of 2

noun

as in slyness

skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means the cunning with which Tom Sawyer was able to get others to whitewash the fence for him

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in skill

subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something the unmatched cunning of the scout who led them safely through the trackless wilderness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deception

the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery used cunning and subterfuge to lure unwitting victims into the fraudulent scheme

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cunning distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of cunning are artful, crafty, foxy, slick, sly, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

In what contexts can artful take the place of cunning?

While in some cases nearly identical to cunning, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

Where would crafty be a reasonable alternative to cunning?

The synonyms crafty and cunning are sometimes interchangeable, but crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

When is it sensible to use foxy instead of cunning?

The words foxy and cunning can be used in similar contexts, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When could slick be used to replace cunning?

In some situations, the words slick and cunning are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When would sly be a good substitute for cunning?

Although the words sly and cunning have much in common, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

When might tricky be a better fit than cunning?

While the synonyms tricky and cunning are close in meaning, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When can wily be used instead of cunning?

The meanings of wily and cunning largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of cunning

Adjective

But statistics fail to convey the humanity of yard sales—the caprice, whimsy, and high spirits, as well as the cunning, weirdness, and heartbreak, that charge and thicken the air when two people agree to perform an off-the-books monetary transaction. — Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 Hatcher — a Pomo shape-shifter who dodges prejudice by passing as Mexican in the novel — is a thorny protagonist, often cunning, scheming and unforgiving. — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026

Noun

The Brazil international combines technical craft with a decisive cunning. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 For everyone else, including this freelance journalist without an expense account, the approach is more like a military-level obstacle course designed to test your cunning and will. — Jada Yuan, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cunning

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cunning

Adjective

However, these benefits can’t be fully enjoyed if you’re left with flat and slick strands.

— Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 July 2026
The hair at the crown is smoothed back but not slick—in fact, there’s a decent amount of volume up top—with virtually no visible part.

— Marci Robin, Allure, 2 July 2026

Definition of slick

Adjective

The plebeians have plenty to be furious about, but their representatives, skilled at turning a crowd into a mob, seem hellbent on shoring up their own influence.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
It is stored in plain text in RAM and can theoretically be accessed by administrators, cloud operators, hypervisors, or highly skilled attackers through malware, insider threats, or side-channel attacks.

— Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of skilled

Noun

Harry and the six other high-profile claimants failed to prove their allegations that the publisher unlawfully obtained private information through methods including private investigators, deception, phone hacking and corrupt payments.

— Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Alleged privacy breaches include voicemail interception, phone hacking and obtaining personal information through deception.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Definition of deception

Adjective

There’s likely to be grasping, resisting, skillful and futile efforts to swim and worry about what’s up ahead.

— Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
One of the few calls of the night was from Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, ready to get his hands on the skillful point guard.

— PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026

Definition of skillful

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cumulus

cunning

cunningly

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“Cunning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cunning. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of cunning

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noun

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Synonyms of cunning

adjective

noun

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Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

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Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

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Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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