1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
with well-practiced artfulness, he convinced his mother he was sick enough to stay home from school but not sick enough for a visit to the doctor's office
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in skill
subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something
building a ship model requires a painstaking artfulness I don't have
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of artfulness
Mike Bowman, designer, furniture industry expert, and director of marketing for Harmonia Living, says this trend relies on furnishings to bring artfulness to a space—rather than just functionality.
—
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.
—Tim Greiving, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
All things considered, each of the couple’s selections exudes artfulness — prioritizing top-quality design and materials meant to last a lifetime.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.
—Tim Greiving, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
All things considered, each of the couple’s selections exudes artfulness — prioritizing top-quality design and materials meant to last a lifetime.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artfulness
Noun
-
The quality that drew Kurosawa to Yonezawa’s novel in the first place is not valor or cunning but something considerably less heroic.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
-
The Brazil international combines technical craft with a decisive cunning.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This expansion helps workers gain new skills, such as becoming a certified nursing assistant or welder, through federal assistance for training programs lasting 8 to 15 weeks.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
11 June 2026
-
Education—from parents’ responsibility to grade school to university—should eschew teaching to the tools and focus instead on enduring human skills like curiosity, problem solving, and resilience.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
His name is Angel, and such is the level of subtlety the film settles for.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
11 Dec. 2025
-
No in-between colors or subtlety.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Ay, the superb slyness of that last response!—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The real surprise comes from the subtleness of the rose.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The light blue shoes gave the singer’s ensemble a soft pop of color while maintaining the subtleness of her look.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Artfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artfulness. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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