variants
also cagy
1
as in slick
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a cagey old politician who is exceptionally skilled at getting federal money for his district
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
when it came time to sign the contract, he suddenly got cagey about taking on the job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cagey
And even in recent interviews given to promote the residency’s resumption, other band members were cagey about exactly what went down, before Neil himself let the cat out of the bag.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2025
The duo’s fingerprints were all over four great Argentina openings in a cagey game.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
As of late, Nintendo has also been somewhat cagey about things like voice actors and the specific studios developing its games.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 17 Jan. 2025
This wry, lovelorn plaint is a cagey display of subtle dynamics and counterpoint on a lone electric guitar.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cagey
Chris Willman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2025
The duo’s fingerprints were all over four great Argentina openings in a cagey game.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
As of late, Nintendo has also been somewhat cagey about things like voice actors and the specific studios developing its games.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 17 Jan. 2025
This wry, lovelorn plaint is a cagey display of subtle dynamics and counterpoint on a lone electric guitar.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cagey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cagey
Adjective
-
Underneath, the All-terrain Contagrip outsole keeps you confident on everything from slick rock to loose gravel, and the advanced chassis element helps keep your foot stable on uneven ground.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Its wings were slick with rain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Fashionistas have been swapping their skinny jeans for this roomier, more relaxed fit, but even the most trend-savvy shoppers are still hesitant to try the polarizing silhouette for themselves.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The industry may have been hesitant about a rising star who operated in two languages, but her fans weren’t.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Norris portrays the cunning and relentless Chief Dennison, with Tripp as Liz Bradley, a border patrol agent with a true-north moral compass, in her first major film role.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Maigret must outwit some of Paris’s most cunning and violent criminals, while dealing with his own troubled past.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The project’s prestigious pedigree allowed the producers to be strategic about which partners to invite, rather than having to convince reluctant financiers.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
-
But states may remain reluctant to offer the expensive drugs for obesity, because Medicaid recipients frequently churn on and off the coverage as their income changes.—
Phil Galewitz,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Labubu craze doesn’t seem to be dying down any time soon, as new, mainstream, and rare editions are all in high demand, and fans often look for clothing and event advent calendars to accompany their cute yet scary figurines.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The girls want to be cute, too.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Sometimes, Wyeth’s work was described as bourgeois, betraying a desire for black ease and affluence, trading in a corrosive and politically dubious desire to see black people rich or at the very least in luxurious settings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
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That decision seems dubious, because Trader made one of the most damaging defensive plays of the game when he was juked out by Ladd McConkey on a play in which the Chargers receiver caught a 3-yard pass and ran another 40 to set up the game-winning field goal.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Brewers do not have a lefty starter with that sort of ability, although the wily veteran Quintana should play a role in the team’s plans.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Fellow comedy legend Carl Reiner, who played the wily Saul Bloom in all three Ocean's movies, died in June 2020 at age 98 from natural causes, leaving behind a career that netted him 11 Emmy Awards, a Grammy, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
New York felt comfortable enough to pick up Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option, but keeping him around in the long term with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns probably isn’t the shrewdest.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The film had transformed from the messy, illogical version I’d first seen into a hilarious, shrewd, contemplative work of art.—
Susan Orlean,
New Yorker,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cagey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cagey. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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