shifty

adjective

ˈshif-tē 

shiftier; shiftiest

1

: full of or ready with expedients : resourceful

2

a

: given to deception, evasion, or fraud : tricky

b

: capable of evasive movement : elusive

a shifty boxer

3

: indicative of a tricky nature

shifty eyes

shiftily

ˈshif-tə-lē 

adverb

shiftiness

ˈshif-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of shifty

• shady
• sneaky

Examples of shifty in a Sentence

shifty politicians making deals to channel federal funds into their districts

shifty practices such as turning back the odometers on used cars

Recent Examples on the Web

And by the way, with how shifty rookie Emmett Johnson has been at this level, Kansas City may quietly have one of the league’s best one-two punches. — Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026

In that section, gruesome murders have spooked what few locals there are, and the boy, Caleb (Atticus Affleck), has a shifty, older-than-his years air about him that makes farmer Emmett (Scoot McNairy) quite unsettled. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

The singer kept her cool through technical difficulties and captivated a drenched, shifty crowd, drawing them in with a warm smile and a euphonious delivery. — Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 26 Aug. 2026

No actress this century has been able to match Hathaway's slinky, shifty take on small-time thief Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shifty

• fifty
• nifty
• thrifty
• unthrifty

Kids Definition

shifty

adjective

ˈshif-tē 

shiftier; shiftiest

1

: not worthy of trust : tricky

2

: indicating a tricky character

shifty eyes

shiftily

-tə-lē 

adverb

shiftiness

-tē-nəs 

noun