cunningness

noun

Definition of cunningnessnext
1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means it took a certain amount of cunningness on the photographer's part to obtain such revealing portraits of his rich and famous subjects

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery people should remember that it was cunningness and not kindness that made him a very wealthy lawyer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cunningness The costume thus becomes a family heirloom, one steeped in grace and cunningness. — Andrew McGowan, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cunningness
  1. cunning
  2. deception
  3. deceit
  4. deceptiveness
  5. deceitfulness
  6. fraud
  7. cheating
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
  • Magpies are opportunistic scavengers, incredibly cunning and deceitful and capable of calculated deception.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • This experience combines identity deception, autonomous agent action and software supply-chain risk, along with social engineering devised by an agent and directed against a human.
    — Carlo Tortora Brayda, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of deception
Noun
  • There was money, manipulation, secret meetings with shady characters in China, fake identities, lies, trickery, and deceit.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Its Emmy success, and Rhys’s record-setting win along with it, is built on a foundation of deceit.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of deceit
Noun
  • Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.
    — Sue Brightman, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of deceptiveness
Noun
  • Antisocial personality includes a persistent pattern of traits such as callousness, lack of concern, deceitfulness, and irresponsibility, Ryan said.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Definition of deceitfulness
Noun
  • Theranos turned out to be a fraud, will be moved from her current minimum-security prison to a halfway house next year to finish out her prison term, officials said.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, DeSantis announced the creation of a new national group of election officials, with the aim of installing Florida’s legal changes designed to prevent voter fraud and crack down on those who vote illegally.
    — Gray Rohrer, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraud
Noun
  • Manchester City, one of the most successful teams in the world in recent years, has been found guilty of systematically cheating – financially doping its way to dominance for the best part of a decade.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Practically everyone, regardless of political affiliation, must understand by now that there simply is no evidence of widespread — significant, meaningful — voter cheating in California or anywhere else in America.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of cheating

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cunningness
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Cite this Entry

“Cunningness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cunningness. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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