as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
we were both impressed and outraged by the expert slickness with which the swindler fooled us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slickness
Noun
-
Neither his fearsome resolve nor his supreme cunning—which had enabled him to vanquish his rivals and spiritually crush his inner circle—was in evidence in 1941.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Sep. 2017 -
Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
On fashion’s most theatrical night, Khan’s look achieved its impact through its (relative) subtlety.—
Manglien Gangte,
Vogue,
6 May 2025
-
The people who insist on making sense speak in small, prim voices, trusting their listeners to understand subtleties of tone.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Noun
-
Final Verdict: Comfort That Fits the Way People Live Starting at $688, the Della Mini Split doesn’t aim to impress with extravagance, but by restoring ease to indoor environments.—
Jon Stojan,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
-
But there are versions of Linux that treat ease of use as a marquee feature.—
Justin Pot,
Wired News,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
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
-
All of which is to say, Cooper is very good at playing someone adept at persuasion, either through intimidation or guile.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Slickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slickness. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share