1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
other antique dealers envied her for her craftiness in getting people to sell their treasures for a song
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
according to the confidence man's credo of craftiness, "There's a sucker born every minute"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craftiness
Noun
-
Neither his fearsome resolve nor his supreme cunning—which had enabled him to vanquish his rivals and spiritually crush his inner circle—was in evidence in 1941.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Sep. 2017 -
Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
As an escaped convict posing as a beloved preacher, and as his gentle, upright twin, Robeson embodies a devastating split between appearance and truth, and whose uncanny doubling plays out in a community shaped by racial violence, spiritual deception, and economic precarity.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
21 May 2025
-
Ellie, however, cannot abide Joel’s deception, and interrupts to tell the truth to Gail, who then slaps Joel and tells him to leave.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Lia Thomas stole a medal through deceit, and this rag has the gall to call him a 'champion'?—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
-
Maeve doubles down on her deceit, lying to Conrad to cover her own ass.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
11 May 2025
Noun
-
But here, Gyllenhaal mesmerizes in a career-best performance that taps into the infinite well of his talent, portraying Iago’s scorching resentment, guile and humor.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
24 Mar. 2025
-
All of which is to say, Cooper is very good at playing someone adept at persuasion, either through intimidation or guile.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Most pharmaceutical patents have their roots in work done or supported by the NIH, and many scientists at pharmaceutical manufacturers learned their craft at institutions supported by the NIH or at the NIH itself.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
-
On Milwaukee’s Eastside, Pruitt recommends squeezing into the Estate, an intimate 1977-vintage club renowned for its jazz shows and craft cocktails.—
Elaine Glusac,
AFAR Media,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
UnitedHealth Group is under a Department of Justice criminal probe for possible criminal Medicare fraud related to its Medicare Advantage business, according to the Wall Street Journal.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
-
The suspect was arrested in Florida in March on robbery and fraud charges, before being extradited to Louisiana, the news agency stated.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
16 May 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Craftiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craftiness. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share