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

Oka, a 6-foot-8 freshman, is a natural scorer who has a shifty handle and defensive tools to shut down any top player. —Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026

At 6-foot-5, 181 pounds, Griffen may be tasked with guarding the shifty 6-foot guard. —Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026

Morrone is Enzo, their shifty-eyed landscaper with secrets of his own. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2026

All of Tarantino's movies contain nods of varying vigor to the other films in his oeuvre, but The Hateful Eight resembles none so much as Reservoir Dogs, with its cast of shifty characters trapped in one location (a cast that includes former Dogs Tim Roth and Michael Madsen). —Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025

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