1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
we always left it to our most devious friends to find out the latest information
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twisted
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a devious trail through the swampland
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unnatural
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
her behavior is devious because of a developmental disorder
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devious
Photo: Jake Giles Netter/HBO How can any single television character be expected to face off against both Megan Mullally and a devious primate at the same time?
—
Brian Grubb, Vulture, 1 May 2025
After Joe secured his fourth immunity win, the two Ks hatched a devious plan of trying to convince Joe that Shauhin was flipping.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 15 May 2025
But the scam is particularly devious since the Trump administration has tried to revoke visas for foreign students while detaining others for views critical of Israel’s war in Gaza.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Its characters are well developed and singular, the dialogue is sharp, and the plot is especially devious.
—Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Brian Grubb, Vulture, 1 May 2025
After Joe secured his fourth immunity win, the two Ks hatched a devious plan of trying to convince Joe that Shauhin was flipping.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 15 May 2025
But the scam is particularly devious since the Trump administration has tried to revoke visas for foreign students while detaining others for views critical of Israel’s war in Gaza.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Its characters are well developed and singular, the dialogue is sharp, and the plot is especially devious.
—Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devious
Adjective
-
Particularly cunning or politically convenient women have infrequently maneuvered into the halls of power, but these female monarchs have served mostly as short detours during times when a male crown prince was either too young or too weak to stand on his own.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
-
Anderson stands the original on its head: grooming Liesl as a successor, Zsa-zsa introduces her to a world where cunning and force hold sway.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
Watching his victims struggle to stay alive is cinema to this twisted soul and Zephyr will be his next unwitting protagonist.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
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Paris Baguette is offering a free sugar mochi doughnut or small twisted doughnut with any purchase on June 6.—
Kate Nalepinski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
31 May 2025
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Concurrently, fire exclusion policies aimed to protect young stands but inadvertently led to unnatural fuel accumulation beneath regenerating trees.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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To achieve that look, make sure your capsule wardrobe has a solid, multifunctional layer like the Madewell crochet vest tank that can be worn on top of a cute boxy T-shirt, and also by itself.—
Riana Singh,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2025
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Related Articles Miss Manners: Another mother chided me for group-texting a cute photo.—
Eric Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Carter Verhaeghe, a Cup champion in Tampa who was a cap casualty there, took a long and winding path to being one of the league’s most clutch players.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
Snowflake’s biggest drawback for most professionals has been its long and winding path to full-year profitability.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
According to investigators, the medical records showed that an amphetamine urine screen was abnormal and presumptive positive.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
-
Researchers have also observed that women in certain agricultural communities experience higher rates of abnormal menstrual cycles, compared to places with fewer farms.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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The problem is that Flanagan—known for eerie but subtle horror films like Hush and Oculus and Netflix series like Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House—puts too many overly earnest quotation marks around what should be the most moving scenes.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
6 June 2025
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The family secrets were subtle but pervasive, reverberating not just through this nuclear family, but also across generations.—
Susan Walter
June 6,
Literary Hub,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
These however, are unusual times that call for something more.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
-
The head of the Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is endorsing Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City, marking an unusual foray into Big Apple politics for the organization, which typically only focuses on issues local to the island.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devious. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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