shifty

adjective

ˈshif-tē How to pronounce shifty (audio)
Definition of shiftynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shifty No actress this century has been able to match Hathaway's slinky, shifty take on small-time thief Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 Instead, the Hall of Fame running back who inspired a generation of running backs with his sensational, elusive, shifty style was walking up and down the sideline handing out refreshments to his teammates. — CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 My own traumatic experiences taught me how shifty memory can be—how incomplete and vulnerable to self-doubt. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 Coach Kyle Shanahan remained very high on Pearsall and was excited about an offense that would have newcomer Mike Evans, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey setting up the shifty Pearsall to beat defensive backs one-on-one. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shifty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifty
  1. shady
  2. deceptive
  3. sneaky
  4. fraudulent
  5. crooked
  6. dishonest
Adjective
  • Both about power-mad blondes getting involved with the shadier side of the medical industrial complex, but Matt Hagen’s nanites worked, dammit!
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Many shady electronics companies are happy to sell you the wrong component for the wrong price.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • Supporters say licensing will give California the authority to act on any complaints, and to investigate and penalize companies for unfair or deceptive practices.
    — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Esparza pushed back against the claim that the group was being deceptive.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • That's a particularly sneaky approach because many airlines send real notifications when members redeem rewards.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • My mom’s siblings usually arrived in a sour mood without greeting anyone at the table, my aunt’s brow furrowed and my uncle wearing a sneaky smirk.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of sneaky
Adjective
  • Brazil's Supreme Court is investigating claims that Bolsonaro used a sports betting company to launder fraudulent deductions from government pensions paid to senior citizens.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Verify the breach notification before responding Scammers frequently use real data breaches as an excuse to send fraudulent emails.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • Serpentine is set in a seemingly quiet New England town where organized crime, crooked cops, buried secrets and the intensely competitive world of figure skating begin to collide.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
  • New York — Down a dim, crooked hallway inside the Jay Street Lofts, a hulking brick relic of Brooklyn’s industrial past, Naomi Mishkin is conducting a radical fashion experiment.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • The debate also took on an edgy, deeply personal tone, as the candidates repeatedly accused each other of being dishonest or misleading.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The other coach is dishonest and decides to strategically rank their players in a different order.
    — Dana Mackenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dishonest

Browse Nearby Words

shifts
shifty
shigellosis
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Cite this Entry

“Shifty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifty. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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