as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
she was impressed by the sneakiness with which they had planned the surprise party
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneakiness
Noun
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Holding viewers by the throat for a handful of strong beats, even as the script slips through the entire cast’s fingers, the devilish actor sells Besson’s interpretation on charisma and cunning.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026 -
Strategy and cunning or physicality and grace?—
Zack Pierce,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Thank God for Catherine’s faithful servant Nelly (Hong Chau), who, even with a small role in the film’s plot, is the only actor here with a meaningful grasp of emotional subtlety.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
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Five different characters sing their hearts out, and each performer meets the vocal and emotional demands of their star turn with both power and subtlety.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
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Ay, the superb slyness of that last response!—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Sneakiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneakiness. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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