Synonyms
Examples of wily in a Sentence
She turned out to be a wily negotiator.
a wily judge of character, she takes advantage of car buyers' insecurities to sell them a bigger machine than they really need
Recent Examples on the Web
Blunt’s lengthier film résumé gives her an edge. Nominations: Blunt
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey Jr.’s wily, ranging turn as Adm. Lewis Strauss, Oppenheimer’s antagonist, is essentially a second lead in the movie.
—
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2023
Ian Sweet: Sucker [Polyvinyl] Sucker, the fourth album from wily pop and indie-rock artist Ian Sweet, injects the songwriter’s self-scrutinizing lyrics with soaring melodies expand upon every element of her diverse catalog.
—Allison Hussey, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2023
Finally, a wily coyote has airport security running in circles in Los Angeles.
—CNN, 31 Oct. 2023
There is an exception amongst the play’s women, and that’s Rivera’s wily, gripping performance as Hekuba (apart from Fu and Strickland, all the play’s actors take on multiple roles).
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2023
Carla Bley, an irrepressibly original composer, arranger and pianist responsible for more than 60 years of wily provocations in and around jazz, died on Tuesday at her home in Willow, a hamlet that is part of the town of Woodstock, N.Y.
—Nate Chinen, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023
In 2021, there were tales of wily software engineers juggling multiple remote jobs, while Meta and Google engaged in an arms race for top talent, turning mere idleness into a high-six-figure endeavor.
—Kylie Robison, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2023
These choices have resulted in a show that is unconventional but also wily and alive.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2023
Ariely, a wily character with a vivid origin story, presented himself as the natural heir to this new science of human folly.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
See More
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2023
Ian Sweet: Sucker [Polyvinyl] Sucker, the fourth album from wily pop and indie-rock artist Ian Sweet, injects the songwriter’s self-scrutinizing lyrics with soaring melodies expand upon every element of her diverse catalog.
—Allison Hussey, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2023
Finally, a wily coyote has airport security running in circles in Los Angeles.
—CNN, 31 Oct. 2023
There is an exception amongst the play’s women, and that’s Rivera’s wily, gripping performance as Hekuba (apart from Fu and Strickland, all the play’s actors take on multiple roles).
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2023
Carla Bley, an irrepressibly original composer, arranger and pianist responsible for more than 60 years of wily provocations in and around jazz, died on Tuesday at her home in Willow, a hamlet that is part of the town of Woodstock, N.Y.
—Nate Chinen, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023
In 2021, there were tales of wily software engineers juggling multiple remote jobs, while Meta and Google engaged in an arms race for top talent, turning mere idleness into a high-six-figure endeavor.
—Kylie Robison, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2023
These choices have resulted in a show that is unconventional but also wily and alive.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2023
Ariely, a wily character with a vivid origin story, presented himself as the natural heir to this new science of human folly.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wily.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of wily was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near wily
Cite this Entry
“Wily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wily. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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