1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
a shady salesman who usually relies on a combination of quick thinking and guile
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Relevance
2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a person so full of guile he can't even be trusted to give you the correct time of day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in subtlety
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
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2
as in deceptiveness
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
it was guilefulness and not goodness that got the gold digger her millions
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guile
Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Chelsea are relentless, though, and attack with a mixture of pace, power and guile through their dynamic front three.
—Stuart James, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
The 19-year-old, ranked No. 54 in the world, hammered down 14 aces in an impressively confident display of power and guile in what was by far the biggest moment of his young career.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025
But here, Gyllenhaal mesmerizes in a career-best performance that taps into the infinite well of his talent, portraying Iago’s scorching resentment, guile and humor.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guile
Noun
The former Watford midfielder brings energy to the press but lacks guile, and with his contract up at the end of the season, the 32-year-old looks like a stop-gap.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Chelsea are relentless, though, and attack with a mixture of pace, power and guile through their dynamic front three.
—Stuart James, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
The 19-year-old, ranked No. 54 in the world, hammered down 14 aces in an impressively confident display of power and guile in what was by far the biggest moment of his young career.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025
But here, Gyllenhaal mesmerizes in a career-best performance that taps into the infinite well of his talent, portraying Iago’s scorching resentment, guile and humor.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guile
Cite this Entry
“Guile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guile. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
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