pawky

adjective

Definition of pawkynext
chiefly British
as in cunning

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pawky
  1. cunning
  2. sly
  3. wily
  4. subtle
  5. shrewd
  6. guileful
  7. astute
  8. artful
Adjective
  • In Kate’s office, Bromilow is Agnes, Kate’s boss, with an apex predator’s instincts and a medieval court’s management style; Macmillan plays Brian an effortlessly charming, quietly ruthless high-flyer; Hill is Georgie, Kate’s cunning rival.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2026
  • But some directors are more cunning – like Howard Davies, who came to the house to talk about Mother Courage and only told me the good bits.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • The light sculptures, which vary from sconce-like creations to hulking constructions out of a sci-fi movie, have a sly sense of humor and a human quality.
    — Ingrid Abramovitch, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2026
  • But Sinestro is a sly, slippery foe and is never to be trusted!
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of sly
Adjective
  • And to unload those, Harry has a close pal and longtime co-conspirator, the wily, wisecracking pawnshop owner Ben (Steve Buscemi).
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 30 Oct. 2026
  • From glittering ghosts, ghastly goblins and wicked witches to wily warlocks, fashion can inspire any Halloween transformation.
    — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of wily
Adjective
  • It is mounted on a wristband and detects the subtle changes in the skin caused when fingertips press against the forearm.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Trump has not been subtle about his desire to restart diplomacy with Kim.
    — Stephen E. Biegun, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • My Beloved is immediately reminiscent of similar shrewd shifts that Kings of Leon’s presumptive peers have undergone during the 2020s.
    — Larry Fitzmaurice, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2026
  • In another shrewd booking, Depp made a surprise onstage appearance during Aerosmith’s Hollywood Bowl concert on October 29.
    — J. Kim Murphy, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of shrewd
Adjective
  • Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta played guileful defence-splitting passes.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 20 June 2026
  • One is to emphasize Iago—the guileful, insinuating convincingness of this malicious supervillain, who works on Othello to the point where any reasonable man would be deceived and fooled and worked into a rage that can lead to such a catastrophe.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
Definition of guileful
Adjective
  • His astute stand-up and withering, spot-on insights into race, relationships and celebrity have influenced countless comedians and writers.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Her astute explanations, along with conversations with former immigration judges and other experts, helped turn a convoluted topic into a clear story.
    — Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of astute
Adjective
  • Though the period is dutifully realized, we’re left without an artful dramatization of why everything changed because of these particular people in this specific scenario.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Some see Rodriguez, whose signature is clean, artful dressing, as a suitable successor for Veronica Leoni as Calvin Klein Collection’s creative director.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of artful
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

pawing
pawky
pawn
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Cite this Entry

“Pawky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pawky. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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