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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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2
as in deceit
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cunning
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
But as the supervisors tweaked the incentives, a new form of cunning arose.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Joe Otterson, Variety, 30 July 2025
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.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 24 June 2025
Andrew McGowan, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cunning
Adjective
Bening will play Beulah Jackson, the powerful, cunning and charming head of a major ranch in Texas.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
But as the supervisors tweaked the incentives, a new form of cunning arose.
—Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Noun
Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one 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.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 30 July 2025
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.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 24 June 2025
Noun
The costume thus becomes a family heirloom, one steeped in grace and cunningness.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cunning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cunning
Adjective
-
Ofeefan Long-Sleeve A-Line Ribbed-Knit Mini Dress This mini sweater dress would look cute with a cropped leather jacket and coordinating knee-high boots.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Ouligay Period Bag My teen and her friends always make sure to keep their period stashes organized in one cute pouch like this black one.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While Philadelphia does have another highly-skilled receiver in DeVonta Smith, this stack still has the potential to carry any fantasy team in 2025.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The film follows skilled martial artist Wang Wei, whose daughter Rainy is abducted by a child trafficking ring.—
Sara Merican,
Deadline,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This planet is electric, unpredictable and genius with its approach, but its transits are anything but subtle.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Even subtle light or noise can disrupt sleep cycles, preventing you from reaching the deeper, most restorative stages of sleep necessary for physical and mental recovery.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The more success rolled, the more damage done, the more skillful the hack and so on.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Powell, skillful at opaque Fed-speak, nonetheless signaled a simulative change is likely.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
There will be a temptation because of his height to draw parallels with Moyes’ use of Marouane Fellaini and Soucek, two key pillars of his Everton and West Ham sides, but where Rohl is concerned, his size can be deceptive.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
-
In 2024, CarShield paid $10 million to settle allegations by the Federal Trade Commission that its ads were deceptive and that customers discovered many repairs were not covered.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s a lot to like about the design—relatively slim, slick front- and back-end chassis lighting, a comfortable keyboard, and a nice display—and the performance is plenty capable.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
3 Sep. 2025
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And more often than not, the real experience at home failed to live up to the slick illustrations promised on the sticker of a Sega Genesis cartridge.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This can be read as a clever knock on some of the mockumentary-format comedies that followed The Office, often — ahem, Modern Family — failing to provide any actual reason for the doc-style shooting and talking-head interviews.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
But poems are cleverer than the people who write them.—
Leila Chatti
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The trifecta of Venice, Toronto, and New York (and, of course, that wily and secretive Telluride) once again promises a compelling lineup of international auteurs, breakout discoveries, and major studio contenders.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
25 Aug. 2025
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If anything, Fast X raises the stakes higher than ever, introducing a wily new foe who will stop at nothing to take down Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his team.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cunning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cunning. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
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