variants
also cagy
1
as in cunning
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 reluctant
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
For a long stretch of its opening act, All the President’s Men—the canonical paranoid thriller from 1976—isn’t just about the brewing Watergate scandal, or about the battle between a cagey political machine and an enterprising newspaper.
—
K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cagey
K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cagey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cagey
Adjective
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Fueled by vengeance and cunning ambition, Ashur rises from betrayal and bloodshed to seize power, gouging out a place for the House of Ashur in a new arena full of violence, desire, and twisted loyalty.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
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The elaborate scheme, masterminded by members of four Mafia families in collusion with celebrity athletes, ensnared unsuspecting victims, bleeding them of over $7 million through cunning deception, prosecutors said in the indictment.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In the aftermath of the collapse against Iowa State, Dykes was reluctant to say the Horned Frogs have a problem closing games.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Nov. 2025
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There are also egos to consider, notes one sales exec, who claims agencies are now reluctant for projects featuring their bigger names to launch without some money committed to paper beforehand.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Fall travel season is here, and my suitcase is officially in its comfy-but-cute era.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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Shoppers call out the cute and functional design.—
Kim Grundy,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Republicans are hesitant to quit the procedure because Democrats could retake the Senate majority in future elections, and that would give them a bill-passing advantage.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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Haro-Ramos co-authored a study published in 2024 that found many Latinos were hesitant to get vaccinated because of fears about their immigration status, and that experiencing health discrimination like care denials or delays increased their vaccine hesitancy.—
Phillip Reese,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The slick lobby was guarded by uniformed doormen and the elevator took me to a long polished corridor leading to a big mahogany door.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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But Ratanaruang’s most essential collaborator is, again, Doyle, who uses desaturated 16mm to evoke Sao’s past and slick digital cinematography to capture her present.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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There are more subtle links between the franchises as well, like the casting of Cameron Brown as the Drone Synth in the film.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
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Lucky Step Platform Sneakers These brown suede platform sneakers give a subtle lift while staying super comfortable thanks to memory foam insoles and arch support.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cagey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cagey. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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