1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
he had an inherent guilefulness that made him a formidable power broker in Washington
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
it was guilefulness and not goodness that got the gold digger her millions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guilefulness
Noun
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Holding viewers by the throat for a handful of strong beats, even as the script slips through the entire cast’s fingers, the devilish actor sells Besson’s interpretation on charisma and cunning.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026 -
Strategy and cunning or physicality and grace?—
Zack Pierce,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Comte’s feature directorial debut follows Quebec teenager Antoine, who travels to Ghana for a showdown with Kojo, a local gang member, amid an escalating game of deception.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
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The Portage case is different, as the subcontractor and his co-conspirators are accused of deception in their failure to deliver the televisions to warehouses.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Thank God for Catherine’s faithful servant Nelly (Hong Chau), who, even with a small role in the film’s plot, is the only actor here with a meaningful grasp of emotional subtlety.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
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Five different characters sing their hearts out, and each performer meets the vocal and emotional demands of their star turn with both power and subtlety.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 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
Noun
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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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This latest news comes just a few weeks after Mayweather filed a lawsuit against Showtime Networks and the former president of Showtime Sports, accusing the company of helping facilitate a fraud scheme that deprived him of roughly $340 million in earnings.—
Matt Schubert,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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The complaint notes that since 2023, five former executive officers have been indicted on federal charges including embezzlement, conspiracy, coercion, insurance fraud and related crimes.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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According to its product description, The Most Beautiful is ideal for gardeners who are new to planting roses due to its ease of care and resilience.—
Joseph Erbentraut,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
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The best options on this list are distinguished by their impeccable technology, ease of use, and sleek results.—
Essence Wiley,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Such deceit is incompatible with public service.—
Diana Paulsen,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
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But Prosecutor Ben Ladinig argued any grains of authenticity in Haobsh's life were far outweighed by deceit.—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Guilefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guilefulness. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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