Synonyms of sly

sly

adjective

ˈslī 

1

as in cunning

clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means

the movie pairs a sly, dissembling ex-con with an upstanding, straight-arrow cop

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cunning
• cute
• subtle
• slick
• deceptive
• wily
• shrewd
• fraudulent
• dishonest
• devious
• artful
• treacherous
• crooked
• scheming
• crafty
• beguiling
• cagey
• foxy
• guileful
• tricky
• designing
• deceitful
• cagy
• dodgy
• shady
• slippery
• sharp
• calculating
• astute
• sneaky
• covert
• glib
• unscrupulous
• oblique
• clandestine
• underhanded
• shifty
• undercover
• Machiavellian
• plotting
• facile
• knavish
• underhand
• hypocritical
• circular
• surreptitious
• secret
• serpentine
• insincere
• backhanded
• furtive
• roundabout
• concealed
• circuitous
• stealthy
• insinuating
• two-faced
• smooth-tongued
• mealy
• double-dealing
• mealymouthed
• left-handed
• hugger-mugger

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ingenuous
• guileless
• artless
• innocent
• obvious
• plain
• public
• simple
• real
• frank
• direct
• open
• candid
• forthright
• sincere
• honest
• straightforward
• outspoken
• unconcealed
• unaffected
• unpretentious
• natural
• patent
• childlike
• unsophisticated
• unvarnished
• unpretending
• impressionable
• aboveboard
• simpleminded
• unworldly
• undesigning
• plainspoken
• unstudied
• unforced
• trustful
• trusting

2

as in shady

given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions

why, you sly fellow! I had no idea you were planning my birthday party

a sly undercover police officer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shady
• sneaky
• furtive
• stealthy
• shifty
• cunning
• slippery
• cheating
• dark
• crooked
• sneaking
• deceptive
• wily
• clandestine
• slick
• secretive
• devious
• treacherous
• artful
• crafty
• close
• foxy
• guileful
• dishonest
• covert
• deceitful
• lying
• underhanded
• duplicitous
• tricky
• insidious
• underhand
• reticent
• deceiving
• mendacious
• perfidious
• untrustworthy
• closemouthed
• knavish
• untruthful
• serpentine
• two-faced
• trickish
• dissembling
• double-dealing
• defrauding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forthright
• straightforward
• direct
• frank
• candid
• plain
• open
• plainspoken
• honest
• aboveboard
• truthful
• trustworthy
• foursquare

3

as in mischievous

tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness

a sly sense of humor

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mischievous
• wicked
• playful
• impish
• waggish
• roguish
• prankish
• knavish
• puckish
• tricksy
• rascally
• devilish
• pixy
• naughty
• pixie
• cunning
• pixieish
• elvish
• happy
• coy
• arch
• scampish
• wily
• whimsical
• teasing
• lighthearted
• lively
• espiègle
• frisky
• antic
• frolicsome
• leprechaunish
• kittenish
• sportful
• coltish
• sprightly
• sportive
• crafty
• spirited
• artful
• energetic
• tricky
• gay
• troublemaking
• trickish
• misbehaving
• pestering
• riling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• solemn
• stern
• grim
• grave
• sober
• staid
• sedate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sly distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sly are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

Where would artful be a reasonable alternative to sly?

The words artful and sly are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When could crafty be used to replace sly?

While in some cases nearly identical to sly, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

In what contexts can cunning take the place of sly?

While the synonyms cunning and sly are close in meaning, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When is it sensible to use foxy instead of sly?

The synonyms foxy and sly are sometimes interchangeable, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When is slick a more appropriate choice than sly?

In some situations, the words slick and sly are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When might tricky be a better fit than sly?

Although the words tricky and sly have much in common, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When would wily be a good substitute for sly?

The meanings of wily and sly largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sly

Each plays a role in fooling their foe, who captures the turtle, while the deer, heeding the turtle’s good counsel, manages a sly escape. —John Nemec, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025

Here are six real books coming out this week, with dust jackets that reflect their real contents: mysteries and mishaps, often told with a sly smirk. —Colin Dwyer, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025

In a perfectly coifed wig, with a sly smile and endless witticisms, Snook takes on 26 different roles across the show's nearly two hour runtime. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025

These are the intriguing ideas at work in Secret Mall Apartment, but the film works as a movie thanks to the sly way it’s been put together. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025