SHIFTILY Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

shiftily

adverb

Definition of shiftily

as in furtively

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shiftily

Adverb

Jordan may wish to exact revenge, and Eddy may want to find one of the victims who has vanished, but both have to go about their work furtively.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Kikuko, her appetite sluggish, nibbled the bread bit by bit from the edges, all the while furtively watching her father.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of furtively

Adverb

But his profound reflections are punctuated by superb slapstick, slyly symbolic sleight-of-hand and, yes, some serious Shakespeare that make for an equally entertaining and thought-provoking hour.

— Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 13 Aug. 2026
Ever since ’Daya slyly popped out with a giant rock on her ring finger, the couple has been pretty private about confirming their next life stage.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of slyly

Adverb

Prices have surged more than 20% this month as fighting has sharply escalated in the Persian Gulf.

— Spencer Kimball,Justina Lee, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
The national average for regular gasoline has risen sharply over the past week, while California prices have climbed back to about $6 per gallon, according to AAA.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

That virtue is undermined here by leads with minimal chemistry, one of them inexpressive and the other archly theatrical, by design if not to rewarding effect.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2026
The show, which followed a crooked New Mexican lawyer, played by Bob Odenkirk, was an archly funny drama, shot partly in gritty black-and-white.

— Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025

Definition of archly

Adverb

As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Some players struggled against the size of bigger and stronger players, while others craftily created space with deft footwork and manipulation.

— Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025

Definition of craftily

Adverb

The film is certainly casting a spell, and whether or not that’s simply cynical (and insidiously effective) marketing doesn’t much matter when you’re caught up in it.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
In the American West, where playing dress-up in reenactments and photo booths and even city streets is already so commonplace, this line of questioning is insidiously limited.

— Téa Obreht, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of insidiously

Adverb

Penelope remains faithful and rules Ithaca in his absence, cunningly stalling her suitors.

— Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 20 July 2026
But cunningly, in the years since 1945—and responsibly and rightly, too—the United States put together a system where most of the other strong countries were also friends.

— David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026

Definition of cunningly

Adverb

Cultural birth canal from which Tony Hinchcliffe slickly emerged as a household name.

— Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026
Reaching the island is all part of the fun too, requiring you to hop aboard a vintage, slickly varnished wooden boat at Balmaha and schedule a pick-up time for the way back.

— Rosie Conroy, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026

Definition of slickly

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Browse Nearby Words

shifted

shiftily

shiftiness

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“Shiftily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shiftily. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shiftily

adverb

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