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
as in cute
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a crafty real estate broker who got people to sell their property at bargain prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of craftiness
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025
The crafty winger has notched eight goals in 20 games for Barcelona.
—Julia Ranney, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
There’s plenty to covet, with crafty minimalism on the rise, from Bode’s crocheted polo to Prada’s macrame bag.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2025
The crafty Magic forward often relies on his footwork to slice through opposing defenses and attack downhill to get near the basket.
—Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for craftiness
Adjective
Another Newsweek report revealed that some pet owners are often surprised by just how crafty their cats can be.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025
The crafty winger has notched eight goals in 20 games for Barcelona.
—Julia Ranney, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
There’s plenty to covet, with crafty minimalism on the rise, from Bode’s crocheted polo to Prada’s macrame bag.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2025
The crafty Magic forward often relies on his footwork to slice through opposing defenses and attack downhill to get near the basket.
—Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for craftiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for craftiness
Noun
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On the other end of the spectrum was the more docile Kelly who often felt conflicted when her morals clashed with the cunning needed to succeed in the game.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
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But Waltz also advocated for further diplomatically isolating President Vladimir Putin — a position that was out of step with Trump, who has viewed the Russian leader, at moments, with admiration for his cunning in dealings with Trump’s predecessors.—
Matthew Lee,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2025
Noun
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While this kind of deception is already possible manually, AI agents can scale it rapidly, increasing both the risk and potential volume of fraud.—
Aleksandra Bal,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Even commercial amusements that played with illusion, such as trompe l’oeil paintings and chess-playing automatons, helped train Americans of all classes to identify the signs of deception.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 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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Plus, a slight slit in the legs adds a cute and playful touch.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
13 June 2025
Noun
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From the master-of-disguise frogfish to a butt-biting jackal and a multi headed caterpillar playing the decoy, these are the masters of deception and deceit.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2025
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When a simple mistake turns into a fatal error for one of his patients, Sam tries to bury the truth under a facade of perfection, knowing that a lifetime of deceit is about to be exposed.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Smalls displayed his guile and courage in the midst of chattel slavery and the Civil War.—
Ken Makin,
Christian Science Monitor,
10 June 2025
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While not necessarily with the same resume as Mitchell, Smith’s defensive guile and ability to space the floor with his shooting could stand as a low-cost alternative to Mitchell, likely at the veteran minimum.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
21 May 2025
Noun
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What did the patterns symbolize and what variations of the craft existed in different regions?—
Sonya Rehman,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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This isn't helped by the fact that as the craft approaches the Sun it's subjected to temperatures as high as 500 °C (932 °F) and has to endure periodic communications blackouts with Mission Control in Darmstadt, Germany.—
David Szondy
June 15,
New Atlas,
15 June 2025
Noun
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Criminals that are able to gain access to passwords put up for sale on the dark web are able to use them for identify theft, fraud, and even blackmail.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
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The truth is that almost all the fraud, waste and abuse in the health care system comes from the billing and payment processes and skyrocketing prices, not from people who rely on Medicaid for essential care.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Craftiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/craftiness. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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