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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Honest Abe is forced to scheme, relying on grit and cunning to win the votes to abolish slavery.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
4 July 2025 -
Of all the acts, though, Sudanese American vocalist Dua Saleh was the most subdued, swaying between heart-fluttering falsettos and cunning raps.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Amazon has prevailed in a class-action lawsuit that accused it of engaging in deceptive trade practices.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
19 July 2025
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Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office sent CBZ and its constituent companies several subpoenas in September as investigators probed the chronically unsafe conditions of the companies’ properties, as well as allegations from tenants that CBZ had engaged in insurance fraud and deceptive practices.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
For my family, our go-to choice is always Lake Como with its breathtaking scenery, cute villages, and some of the country’s best luxury hotels in this little part of Northern Italy.—
Michelle Tchea,
Travel + Leisure,
19 July 2025
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Fortunately, Amazon is having a massive sale on cute linen clothes, and prices start at just $20.—
Emily Weaver,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Most courts will ignore asset protection moves taken after that point, labeling them as fraudulent conveyances.—
Bob Carlson,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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In total, the group was accused of wasting 1,937 COVID-19 vaccine doses between October 2021 and September 2022, including 391 pediatric doses, and creating fraudulent immunization records for them.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Interplay of rough and polished diamonds continued, with a wide range of hues from white to subtle greens and browns, and the use of materials such as natural jet and grand-feu enamel.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
24 July 2025
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The wine exhibits a delicate mousse featuring citrus-lime zest, layered with brioche, pear, and subtle minerality.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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The former Oakland Raiders linebacker was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shady military pal in Predator (1987) before landing his own macho action vehicle in Action Jackson (1988).—
Skyler Trepel,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
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Visitors will find 2,000 miles of shady hiking trails, 3,000 ponds and lakes with water originating from cool mountain peaks, 30,000 miles of fresh and often chilly rivers and streams and millions of acres of sun-filtering forests.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Republicans are right to be terrified with their prospects in November 2025 and 2026; there is going to be a major reckoning for their chaotic, crooked, and extreme governance.—
James Skoufis,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
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National reporters and true crime junkies dug in, while local officials — already lacquered in scandal — looked so crooked a frame job seemed not just possible but probable.—
Tom Blakely,
Boston Herald,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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McClure is also accused of attempting to change his patient care reports in order to cover up his actions and being dishonest during interviews with his supervisors about the incident.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
11 July 2025
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Raynor was accused of having been dishonest about facts, including the way the author and her husband, Moth Winn — whose real names are allegedly Sally and Tim Walker — found themselves without a home.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
8 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Guileful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guileful. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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