1
as in cute
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a cunning, underhanded plan to win the election by preying on people's fears and prejudices
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skilled
skillful with the hands
only the most cunning cabinetmaker could have crafted such a beautifully proportioned chest of drawers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in slyness
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
the cunning with which Tom Sawyer was able to get others to whitewash the fence for him
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2
as in skill
subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something
the unmatched cunning of the scout who led them safely through the trackless wilderness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
used cunning and subterfuge to lure unwitting victims into the fraudulent scheme
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cunning
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2025
Miller is said to be playing the cunning and powerful Jocasta who is driven by revenge.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 26 May 2025
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025
Noted for his tenacity and cunning, Khamenei is also a man of conviction, and his hatred for the United States is deeply felt.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cunning
Adjective
Anderson stands the original on its head: grooming Liesl as a successor, Zsa-zsa introduces her to a world where cunning and force hold sway.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2025
Miller is said to be playing the cunning and powerful Jocasta who is driven by revenge.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 26 May 2025
Noun
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
Noted for his tenacity and cunning, Khamenei is also a man of conviction, and his hatred for the United States is deeply felt.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cunning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cunning
Adjective
-
Amazon is stocked with tons of cute coin purses that capture the kawaii aesthetic of Japanese street style.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2025
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Sourced from our favorite spots like J.Crew, Gap, Nordstrom Rack, and Amazon, these linen pieces are high quality and cute.—
Jeaneen Russell,
People.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Sallis enters the professional ranks as a skilled guard with a smooth mid-range game, defensive versatility, room to grow as a shooter and playmaker and potential to develop in an NBA organization.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
27 June 2025
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Before June 8, the skilled and respected ABC News television journalist Terry Moran was neither a household name nor political lightning rod.—
Steven Levy,
Wired News,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
The local event is part of a yearly nationwide ham radio open house, during which more than 40,000 amateur radio clubs throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate its science, skill, and service to communities and the nation.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2025
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Size with skill is back in fashion, and the 2025 NBA Draft may deliver its next great example.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
This stylization gives her a veneer of being disarmingly kind; but ultimately, is a form of deception that caused Sophie to fatally trust this person.—
Tiffany Leigh,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
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Codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, the overnight mission relied on deception, aerial refueling, and near-total radio silence to hit Iran's Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities—sites that had withstood weeks of sustained Israeli attacks.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
In this edition, the grey tone reflects the muted, misty landscape of the British coast, with subtle variations achieved through multiple layers of transparent lacquer.—
Matthew Catellier,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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The result was a robust workforce forecasting model, one that’s sophisticated enough to consider the subtle complexities of human behavior and help identify potential attrition risks.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Finnegans Wake, in his skillful hands, is a tapestry of all the works Joyce ever wrote, the final and protracted project of a writer who could never stop thinking about Ireland.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2025
-
Their smart, aggressive defense disorients even the smoothest spacing and the most skillful shooters.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
It’s also shown a bit of cleverness and guile, which, yes, is a very good thing, indeed.—
The Editors,
National Review,
16 June 2025
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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
Noun
-
But the level of deceit of this entire plan is mind-boggling.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2025
-
The defense’s case largely rests on accusations that the investigation into O’Keefe’s death was mired by deceit, incompetence and bias.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cunning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cunning. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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