Thesaurus results for SLICKNESS

slickness

noun

Definition of slickness

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

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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 slickness The oil-free, non-comedogenic, chemical formula won’t clog pores, while silica and perlite absorb excess shine, leaving behind a matte finish that keeps midday slickness in check. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 22 May 2026 But there’s an innate slickness to drone footage that can turn a shot of, say, a South Texas Starbucks into a joke, and there’s a mechanical quality to the way drones glide through the air that, even if controlled by a human, feels impersonal — a view from nowhere. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 May 2026 And despite the Grand Hotel Belvedere's slickness, behind the scenes it is run according to the sweet sort of interdependence demanded by any small town but especially one so isolated. — Alice Gregory, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026 He was ruled offside, but the poor timing of his run takes nothing away from the slickness of the combination, nor the effectiveness of the tactic. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025 Untouched by any chain stores or contemporary slickness, the neighborhood’s highlights include the Tea House on Los Rios inside a 1911 Victorian, cottage-like Hummingbird House Cafe and Hidden House Coffee found inside a Craftsman. — Staff Report, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025 There’s a slickness about the style of everyone who lives here, and Missy captures that. — Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slickness

Noun

Rhaenyra also dismisses Mysaria, a wise move carried out in a very unwise manner, given the woman’s cunning.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Nolan foregrounds the nobility that guides the character (his guilt, his dedication to his men, his yearning for his family) and neglects his wily cunning and egotism.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026

Definition of cunning

Noun

The smallest detail can affect the toy’s value, from the stuffing — the initial batch was reportedly made with PVC pellets, while later versions were made with polyethylene pellets — to subtleties in the eyes, nose or mouth.

— Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
They’re just executed here with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of subtlety

Noun

No need to get bogged down in questions about provenance, artfulness, long-form storytelling, or even metaphors.

— Robin Givhan, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026
All of this shone vividly through his work, which shared his joy, artfulness and deep feeling, and most of all privileged human experience and social interaction.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026

Definition of artfulness

Noun

Slight, lightning quick and with mesmerizing ballhanding, Iverson attacked defenses on the perimeter and in the paint with equal parts of fearlessness and relentlessness, guile and gumption.

— Rob Peterson, New York Times, 26 July 2026
In some ways, that depends on whether the agent eventually learns guile, and social gamesmanship, or not.

— John Werner, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of guile

Noun

The piece urges critical inquiry into such claims, emphasizing that human oversight, not AI's inherent deviousness, can be a sizable contributor.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
The rules allowed offensive linemen to grapple and hold the bottom of their shoulder pads with savvy bordering on deviousness.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of deviousness

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“Slickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slickness. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of slickness

noun

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