caginess

noun

variants also cageyness
1
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters most consumers should possess sufficient caginess to see through that scam

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means the lawyer's celebrated caginess makes her the first choice of the hopelessly guilty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for caginess
  1. intelligence
  2. cunning
  3. wit
  4. deviousness
  5. shrewdness
  6. subtlety
  7. insight
  8. slyness
Noun
  • Soundcore Earbuds Labor Day Weekend Deal The Soundcore Space A40 Earbuds build an invisible wall against the chaos with an adaptive ANC intelligence matrix that actively isolates up to 98% of ambient noise.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Germany's domestic intelligence classifies the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt as extremist.
    — Esme Nicholson, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of intelligence
Noun
  • Rhaenyra also dismisses Mysaria, a wise move carried out in a very unwise manner, given the woman’s cunning.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Nolan foregrounds the nobility that guides the character (his guilt, his dedication to his men, his yearning for his family) and neglects his wily cunning and egotism.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Definition of cunning
Noun
  • Tight end Eric Saubert played for him in San Francisco and adored the coach’s wit back then.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • This reputation is tied to the biting wit and unruly imagination found across his prose, poetry and political writings.
    — Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of wit
Noun
  • The piece urges critical inquiry into such claims, emphasizing that human oversight, not AI's inherent deviousness, can be a sizable contributor.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The rules allowed offensive linemen to grapple and hold the bottom of their shoulder pads with savvy bordering on deviousness.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of deviousness
Noun
  • Spain’s shrewdness came in their refusal to engage with off-the-ball trivialities.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Instead, Franklin will rise by virtue of hard work and (actual) shrewdness.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of shrewdness
Noun
  • The smallest detail can affect the toy’s value, from the stuffing — the initial batch was reportedly made with PVC pellets, while later versions were made with polyethylene pellets — to subtleties in the eyes, nose or mouth.
    — Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • They’re just executed here with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of subtlety
Noun
  • In an interview with CNBC, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shared his insights and perspective on these two competing approaches.
    — , CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This was a valuable insight, to better allocate scarce resources in a country where the standard cost of a colonoscopy is half the average monthly income.
    — Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of insight
Noun
  • The harp is not an instrument of slyness, wryness, or the earth.
    — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of slyness
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

cagey
caginess
caging
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Cite this Entry

“Caginess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caginess. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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