1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
we always left it to our most devious friends to find out the latest information
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twisted
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a devious trail through the swampland
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unnatural
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
her behavior is devious because of a developmental disorder
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devious
Yet the movie works by toying with our sympathies in devious and unpredictable ways.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Slaveholders were clever and devious along with evil.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
LeBlanc’s character Michael, like Bregman’s Lauren and Rikaart’s Kevin, also started on the show as a more devious figure.
—Victoria Edel, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Following a confrontational luncheon, the Baroness, who by now has been revealed to be a devious conwoman, attempts to drive a rift between the Wittmers and the Ritters by convincing her lovers, Rudy and Robert, to trick Heinz into shooting Dore's beloved donkey.
—EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Slaveholders were clever and devious along with evil.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
LeBlanc’s character Michael, like Bregman’s Lauren and Rikaart’s Kevin, also started on the show as a more devious figure.
—Victoria Edel, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Following a confrontational luncheon, the Baroness, who by now has been revealed to be a devious conwoman, attempts to drive a rift between the Wittmers and the Ritters by convincing her lovers, Rudy and Robert, to trick Heinz into shooting Dore's beloved donkey.
—EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devious
Adjective
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Maigret must outwit some of Paris’s most cunning and violent criminals, while dealing with his own troubled past.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
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These subsidies were cunning, part of a decades-long effort to keep alive the myths that offshore wind energy is nearly self-sufficient and generates increasingly inexpensive electricity.—
Craig Rucker,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Cinematic vampirism has also taken many forms over the years, including gothic horror classics like Dracula (1931), gnarly superhero fare like Blade (1998), and twisted love stories like the Twilight Saga.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
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The Sun’s magnetic field lines can be very twisted, and the solar wind and coronal mass ejections deform and drag them outward from the Sun.—
Samuel Badman,
The Conversation,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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However, his unnatural exit from the sport made headlines in his final season at the Bahrain Grand Prix through an incident that reminded everyone about the dangers of motorsport.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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Imitating the speech or body language of others during a conversation is another form of masking, along with forcing eye contact or facial expressions, which may feel unnatural.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The brand’s Deep Trance Corduroy Pants are also a cute option to wear with some boots and a pea or trench coat this season.—
Shawna Hudson,
StyleCaster,
3 Oct. 2025
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Best Toy for Imaginative Play Plant the seeds of creative play with this trio of plush toy veggies that are too cute to eat.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Thake took a long and winding trip down the memories of South Yorkshire football, a path which eventually led him to the living room of a shy, almost reclusive Rotherham man called Terry Moran.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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The Didi and Gogo that Sparks and Shannon created were full of blood and bile, real people with — no matter how obscured in its details by time and circumstance — a long and winding relationship.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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With sepsis, the immune system has an abnormal response to an infection — either too exuberant or too minimal.—
Dr. Marc Siegel , Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
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Cleveland is winding through an abnormal week in the middle of a uniquely brutal three-game stretch and searching for offensive answers of any kind.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In a subtler interpretation of the trend, the Jazz bookshelf is handcrafted in oak that takes on a golden hue when hit with the right light.—
Rachel Gallaher,
Robb Report,
4 Oct. 2025
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Cohen and other researchers have identified many subtle fixes that improve kids’ eating habits.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Designed by Anthony Guerrée for De La Espada, this piece features a central base crafted from a series of overlapping wood slats—a textured moment that creates visual equilibrium with its smooth, curved-brass counterpart.—
Rachel Gallaher,
Robb Report,
4 Oct. 2025
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In addition to a scratching surface, the product's curved design can also serve as a lounger for cats.—
Christine Persaud,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devious. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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