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
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His initial rise to fame came from playing cunning and ruthless centuries-old vampire Eric Northman on True Blood.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Jan. 2026 -
They’re built up to be these impossibly deadly and evil and cunning foes, and then our much less impressive heroes manage to take them down through grit and determination or just dumb luck.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Even one of the more reputable internet weather personalities, Ryan Hall, whose YouTube channel staffs a team of meteorologists, and who has more than three million subscribers, often opts for flashy graphics and deceptive provocations to increase engagement.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Dozens of the cute, little cheesecakes were sitting in a cooler near the cashier in Boardwalk Pizza.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
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The pieces trailing off the bodice as her skirt, lined with green fur, are not cute.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Investors in a fraudulent clean energy scheme might be one step closer to getting their money back, after the partner of a Chicago area businessman pleaded guilty to federal charges.—
Steffanie Dupree,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
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In California alone, nearly a third of all community college applicants in 2024 were identified as fraudulent, according to the California Community Colleges, the state's administrative body for the community college system.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The slick material keeps chafing to a minimum during workouts, and the brushed inside is so soft against the skin and helps keep cold air out and your body heat in.—
Olivia Dubyak,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
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Between the melting ice under the court and heavy rain Thursday night in Chicago, condensation created a slick and dangerous playing surface.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Mary sends me shady TikToks about the other girls sometimes.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
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Full sun today, combined with winds, should help with melting of ice, with the exception shady spots in the Hill Country and into northwest Travis and Williamson counties.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This includes subtle feedback that traditional simulators often miss.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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Available in nine sizes, the rug's medallion pattern has subtle hints of blue, green, and pink throughout.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Ron Leibman and Paul Sand round out their gang, with Zero Mostel as the crooked attorney who serves as a go-between.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
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Descend its famously crooked path, flanked by cascading hydrangeas and storybook Edwardian homes—then watch cars zigzag through eight tight switchbacks while tourists crowd the sidewalks, snapping photos of its surreal descent.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Guileful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guileful. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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