1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
shifty politicians making deals to channel federal funds into their districts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception
shifty practices such as turning back the odometers on used cars
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shifty
All of Tarantino's movies contain nods of varying vigor to the other films in his oeuvre, but The Hateful Eight resembles none so much as Reservoir Dogs, with its cast of shifty characters trapped in one location (a cast that includes former Dogs Tim Roth and Michael Madsen).
—
Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
The leader of the defending champs has become polarizing in NBA circles, with some believing his shifty, physical style while driving the ball is angling for a whistle to send him to the line.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Thursday’s standalone broadcast gives us two shifty sides with top-10 paces so far.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
The Miami Dolphins have an assortment of tall receivers, athletic receivers, speedy receivers, and shifty receivers.
—Omar Kelly
october 24, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shifty
Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
The leader of the defending champs has become polarizing in NBA circles, with some believing his shifty, physical style while driving the ball is angling for a whistle to send him to the line.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Thursday’s standalone broadcast gives us two shifty sides with top-10 paces so far.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
The Miami Dolphins have an assortment of tall receivers, athletic receivers, speedy receivers, and shifty receivers.
—Omar Kelly
october 24, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shifty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifty
Adjective
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What, is something shady happening?—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Richards counterattacked Mattox, hinting he’d been involved in shady deals and challenging his ethics and finances.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Not sharing news of the increase was deceptive, and the company should be fined.—
Dave Lieber,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
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The agency also alleged other deceptive practices.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Callie is popular and vivacious, perpetually surrounded by admirers and various hangers-on (Audrey Grace Marshall’s Cara is hellbent on usurping Minnie’s place in Callie’s life, while her himbo-esque boyfriend Brad is given wonderful dimension through Beck Nolan’s sneaky-good performance).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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Be sure to overlap cardboard slightly so sneaky weeds have no chance of sprouting up between seams.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Trauernicht, the former fire chief, allegedly approved numerous fraudulent paychecks for his female assistant.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
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If convicted, the suspects will have to forfeit to the government any property purchased with proceeds from the fraudulent cattle deals.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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More than half a million residents live in NYCHA development plagued by chronic mold, broken elevators, and heating failures; others reside in subpar tenements run by crooked landlords.—
Darius Jones,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
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The company was ripped off over and over in more than 100 crooked transactions, the agreement said.—
Steve Patterson,
Florida Times-Union,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In The Corner That Held Them, rarely does desire raise its head as the nuns busy themselves with dishonest bishops, honest con men, collapsing spires, inconclusive visions, ecclesiastical intrigues, catty infighting, attempts at levitation, and the plague.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
14 Feb. 2026
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That doesn't mean the dealer is dishonest, though.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shifty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifty. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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