Synonyms of foxiness

foxiness 1 of 2

noun

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

• cunning
• subtlety
• artfulness
• slyness
• canniness
• subtleness
• craftiness
• deviousness
• sneakiness
• wiliness
• slickness
• craft
• guile
• ease
• cunningness
• caginess
• artifice
• cageyness
• inventiveness
• shrewdness
• cleverness
• design
• guilefulness
• calculation
• care
• finesse
• ingenuity
• savvy
• ingeniousness
• sharpness
• shiftiness
• duplicity
• facility
• underhandedness
• deceitfulness

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

• deceptiveness
• deception
• deceit
• cunning
• fraud
• cheating
• deceitfulness
• lying
• duplicity
• crookedness
• craftiness
• wiliness
• dishonesty
• double-dealing
• fakery
• guile
• crookery
• dissimulation
• cunningness
• secrecy
• craft
• cozenage
• dissembling
• dupery
• fraudulence
• chicanery
• artfulness
• artifice
• guilefulness
• skullduggery
• subterfuge
• trickery
• prevarication
• shrewdness
• hypocrisy
• skulduggery
• swindling
• obliquity
• mendacity
• hanky-panky
• insincerity
• deviousness
• sanctimoniousness
• mountebankery
• jugglery
• caginess
• smoothness
• shadiness
• slyness
• equivocation
• treacherousness
• underhandedness
• wile
• unscrupulousness
• shiftiness
• sneakiness
• covertness
• fib
• furtiveness
• slipperiness
• legerdemain
• chicane
• two-facedness
• slickness
• oiliness
• stealthiness
• falsehood
• cageyness
• falsity
• untruth

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sincerity
• good faith
• ingenuousness
• artlessness
• forthrightness
• frankness
• candor
• directness
• guilelessness
• plainness
• openness
• reliability
• honesty
• probity
• dependability
• trustworthiness
• solidity
• goodness
• integrity
• candidness
• truthfulness
• righteousness
• decency
• plainspokenness
• uprightness
• incorruptibility
• virtuousness
• reliableness
• trustiness
• trustability

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

• intelligence
• wit
• wisdom
• acumen
• insight
• shrewdness
• astuteness
• canniness
• hardheadedness
• knowingness
• caginess
• intellect
• keenness
• clear-sightedness
• sharpness
• cageyness
• sense
• perceptiveness
• perceptivity
• sagaciousness
• sagacity
• cunning
• perception
• artfulness
• percipience
• subtlety
• sageness
• slyness
• discernment
• sapience
• reason
• subtleness
• sneakiness
• deviousness
• craftiness
• wiliness
• slickness
• guile
• brain(s)
• gray matter
• craft
• artifice

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• guilelessness
• naïveté
• ingenuousness
• naiveté
• greenness
• artlessness
• unworldliness
• innocence
• simplicity
• naivete
• unsophistication
• naiveness
• simplemindedness
• simpleness
• density
• oafishness
• obtuseness
• stupidity
• dumbness
• dopiness
• slowness
• witlessness
• foolishness
• vacuity
• mindlessness
• brainlessness
• stupidness
• fatuity
• doltishness
• senselessness
• half-wittedness

foxy

2 of 2

adjective

ˈfäk-sē 

as in cute

clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means

the oft-told story of the foxy flatterer who works her way up the ladder of success by stepping on people as she goes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cute
• cunning
• subtle
• slick
• wily
• crafty
• deceptive
• sly
• fraudulent
• crooked
• shrewd
• dishonest
• treacherous
• beguiling
• artful
• designing
• cagey
• tricky
• devious
• guileful
• scheming
• dodgy
• cagy
• deceitful
• shady
• slippery
• sharp
• calculating
• astute
• undercover
• sneaky
• shifty
• covert
• unscrupulous
• knavish
• clandestine
• glib
• serpentine
• plotting
• circular
• secret
• Machiavellian
• oblique
• hypocritical
• facile
• underhanded
• concealed
• roundabout
• furtive
• stealthy
• backhanded
• underhand
• surreptitious
• insincere
• two-faced
• smooth-tongued
• circuitous
• insinuating
• mealy
• double-dealing
• left-handed
• mealymouthed
• hugger-mugger

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocent
• artless
• guileless
• ingenuous
• obvious
• plain
• real
• public
• outspoken
• natural
• frank
• simple
• open
• unconcealed
• unaffected
• candid
• direct
• honest
• forthright
• sincere
• unsophisticated
• unpretentious
• straightforward
• patent
• childlike
• impressionable
• unvarnished
• unpretending
• unworldly
• undesigning
• aboveboard
• simpleminded
• unstudied
• plainspoken
• unforced
• trusting
• trustful

Synonym Chooser

How is the word foxy distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of foxy are artful, crafty, cunning, slick, sly, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When could artful be used to replace foxy?

While the synonyms artful and foxy are close in meaning, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When is it sensible to use crafty instead of foxy?

The words crafty and foxy can be used in similar contexts, but crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

When might cunning be a better fit than foxy?

In some situations, the words cunning and foxy are roughly equivalent. However, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When can slick be used instead of foxy?

While in some cases nearly identical to foxy, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

Where would sly be a reasonable alternative to foxy?

The meanings of sly and foxy largely overlap; however, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

In what contexts can tricky take the place of foxy?

The words tricky and foxy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When would wily be a good substitute for foxy?

The synonyms wily and foxy are sometimes interchangeable, but wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of foxiness

Adjective

Thereza Wright-Morris This foxy lady is the wife of Dallas Mavericks power forward and NBA champion Markieff Morris. —Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 6 June 2024

Richard Linklater directs this foxy caper with buoyant good humor. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 2 June 2024

Feeling foxy? —Andrea Wurzburger, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2023

Meanwhile, Van Halen was young, hungry and -- thanks to foxy frontman David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen, the most jaw-dropping guitarist since Jimi Hendrix – dripping with star-power. —Matt Wake | [e-mail], al, 27 Feb. 2023