1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
it did not take an incredible amount of foxiness on his part to get you to spill the beans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in deceptiveness
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
an imposter of such formidable foxiness that a movie was made of his entertaining escapades
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters
lacks the foxiness needed to make it in dog-eat-dog world of show business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foxiness
Noun
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Maybe the mere fact of having been born illustrious, with no apparent faults, with nothing to prove or to be ashamed of, had liberated John from the resentments the rest of us feel, and from the cunning and ambition such resentments fuel.—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026 -
The Brazil international combines technical craft with a decisive cunning.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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In the past year, GUDEA, a behavioral intelligence startup that tracks viral, reputation-harming claims on the internet, flagged two separate bot smear campaigns against Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
12 May 2026
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Greek authorities gave no further details of the drone, while Greek naval experts said that its features resemble Ukrainian Magura-type craft — a platform developed by Ukraine's intelligence service.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Sports fans can appreciate subtlety but there is a reason baseball hosts a home run derby and not a bunt fest, and basketball has a dunk contest in lieu of a layup line.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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Fukada stealthily shades in these subtleties of feeling into the story with exacting skill, creating a drama that touches on social issues but never feels issues-driven.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
What begins as a small con deepens when the painter’s shrewd agent (Gilles Lellouche) spots an opportunity, encouraging Suzanne to continue the deception as a way to revive his client’s creativity — and bankroll them both.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
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Olivia Beech, America’s youngest female sommelier, tragically lost her sense of taste during COVID, but relied on her sharp sense of smell until she was fired for her deception.—
Paula L. Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Their choreographed debate exploited and skewered stereotypes via expert timing and pointed wit, hitting home with the predominantly Asian and South Asian audience.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Known for his genial wit, Grover had joined the Office of Strategic Services during World War II before returning to head the Archives in 1948.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Mike Bowman, designer, furniture industry expert, and director of marketing for Harmonia Living, says this trend relies on furnishings to bring artfulness to a space—rather than just functionality.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
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There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Silicon Valley case remains the center of attention, focused on a 2024 lawsuit filed by Elon Musk that accuses OpenAI of alleged deceit in taking millions from the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX while operating as a nonprofit, only to later pivot into a for-profit enterprise.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
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There's everything from resentment to jealousy, favouritism, and deceit swirling around in a boiling-hot cauldron where fair is foul and foul is fair.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Foxiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foxiness. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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