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cunning

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noun

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word cunning distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of cunning are artful, crafty, foxy, slick, sly, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

In what contexts can artful take the place of cunning?

While in some cases nearly identical to cunning, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

Where would crafty be a reasonable alternative to cunning?

The synonyms crafty and cunning are sometimes interchangeable, but crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

When is it sensible to use foxy instead of cunning?

The words foxy and cunning can be used in similar contexts, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When could slick be used to replace cunning?

In some situations, the words slick and cunning are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When would sly be a good substitute for cunning?

Although the words sly and cunning have much in common, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

When might tricky be a better fit than cunning?

While the synonyms tricky and cunning are close in meaning, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When can wily be used instead of cunning?

The meanings of wily and cunning largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Cunning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cunning. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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