1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
tried to fix the game with a guileful plot to sabotage the other team's bats, but the umpire caught them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception
received a guileful answer when I asked the dealer if the used car had ever been in a collision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guileful
Adjective
-
Goodman aims to be a cunning thief.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026 -
What could be more cunning and disgusting than training dogs to commit anal rape?—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
The deceptive piece is the marketing.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2026
-
Manaea’s delivery is deceptive because there is crossfire action from a low slot.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
Keep scrolling to start the season strong with ’90s-but-better jelly mules, cute lightweight dresses, and a sling bag that’s about to become your water bottle’s new best friend.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
-
Bonus points for picking separates in the same color palette (red and white is a particularly cute, preppy combo, as shown above).—
Kelsey Stewart,
Glamour,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
If a fraudulent provider is uncooperative, unreachable, or no longer operating, the beneficiary may remain reflected in Medicare systems as if an active hospice election still exists.—
Wes Kilgore,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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Some financial institutions may be able to reverse charges or flag fraudulent activity if reported quickly.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
In its first international friendly since March, the US showed off slick offense in a 3-2 win over Senegal in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 31.—
Jim Sciutto,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
Short-and-sweet patent pieces from Christian Siriano and Ferrari had a distinctly slick shine, while at Kate Barton, satin organza gave her flirty designs a glassy glint.—
InStyle,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
An ex-con cybersecurity expert, Daniel is among a group of whistleblowers from the shady agency WARDEX who nabbed evidence of a massive, nearly 80-year cover-up that, if revealed, would be a turning point for civilization.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
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Fleas thrive in damp, shady areas, so think about removing piles of leaves or debris from your yard or garden.—
Emily Hayes,
Martha Stewart,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
The perpetual buzz of mining bees mingled with the shuffle of rabbits through the bushes, woodpeckers’ rapid-fire drilling, and the hard-staccato tchack, tchack, tchack of ravenlike birds known as jackdaws, creating a subtle symphony.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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Look for alcohol-free, subtle formulas the goal is a whisper of fragrance, not a perfume cloud that announces itself from across the room.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Trump walks out on Kristen Welker after calling NBC 'crooked' in fiery clash.—
,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
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From there, Cicket’s life is a crooked line.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Guileful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guileful. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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