as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
the slyness with which the FBI agent infiltrated the subversive organization without their knowledge was indeed impressive
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Recent Examples of slyness
Ay, the superb slyness of that last response!
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slyness
Noun
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Federico Marchetti, the Italian fashion entrepreneur, is a master of sprezzatura—the courtier’s art of cloaking ambition and cunning in an air of guileless nonchalance.—
John Seabrook,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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But Israeli cunning, buoyed by remarkable intelligence capabilities and precision targeting, has damaged the group.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The striking arrow shapes are an empowering accessory, yet there’s a subtlety in the muted bronze, ebony, and antique diamonds (which have a softer shimmer than modern cuts).—
Jill Newman,
Robb Report,
19 Oct. 2025
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Harper has a good feel for finding the subtleties in straightforward situations to create an advantage.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slyness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slyness. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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