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
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Recent Examples of slickness
There’s a slickness about the style of everyone who lives here, and Missy captures that.
—
Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Sep. 2025
Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slickness
Noun
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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.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
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Luke Shaw’s technique and cunning at centre-back deserved to be better rewarded.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Uzbek defender does not deal in subtleties.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Her ability to tease out the subtleties of millennial-speak led to over 25 million views and half a million followers.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ay, the superb slyness of that last response!—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Those who enjoy the simplicity and ease of a hair serum will like Hers’s Minoxidil Solution.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
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But the ease of access to technological developments like AI and accessible technology like drones has further increased the threat level that these groups pose.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In between is a huge chessboard for honing skills of strategy and guile while catching a tan.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
4 Sep. 2025
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There are no traces of guile, cynicism, arrogance or duplicity.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slickness. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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