slyer also slier ˈslī(-ə)r How to pronounce sly (audio) ; slyest also sliest ˈslī-əst How to pronounce sly (audio)
1
chiefly dialectal
a
: wise in practical affairs
b
: displaying cleverness : ingenious
2
a
: clever in concealing one's aims or ends : furtive
b
: lacking in straightforwardness and candor : dissembling
3
: lightly mischievous : roguish
a sly jest
slyly adverb
or less commonly slily
She slyly evaded the question.
slyness noun
Phrases
on the sly
: in a manner intended to avoid notice
Choose the Right Synonym for sly

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 sly in a Sentence

the movie pairs a sly, dissembling ex-con with an upstanding, straight-arrow cop why, you sly fellow! I had no idea you were planning my birthday party
Recent Examples on the Web The wellness industry commonly uses sly marketing to sell products of dubious effectiveness, but there’s something especially unnerving about its attempt to move into the obesity-drug space. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2024 They were also coached on facial expressions—like how to pull off a sly wink in the middle of a dance move. Alex Barasch, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 Parents will love the sly references and witty banter, and kids will love the swordfighting, Mamushka-dancing action of Gomez, Fester and the rest of the crew. Kara Nesvig, Parents, 8 Oct. 2024 The irreverent campaign pairs drawings by British artist David Shrigley, best known for his sly social commentary, with the surreal still lifes that Swiss photographer Raymond Meier shot in response to them. Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sleighe, sli, from Old Norse slœgr; akin to Old English slēan to strike — more at slay

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sly was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near sly

Cite this Entry

“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sly. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

sly

adjective
slier or slyer ˈslī(-ə)r How to pronounce sly (audio) ; sliest or slyest ˈslī-əst How to pronounce sly (audio)
1
a
: clever at hiding one's goals or purpose
b
: tending to secrecy or concealment
2
: lightly mischievous
a sly smile
slyly adverb
slyness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sly

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