1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
admired the politician's wiliness, but questioned his ethics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
her reputation for Machiavellian wiliness made people disinclined to trust her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wiliness
Noun
-
The Brazil international combines technical craft with a decisive cunning.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026 -
But Muck is no Epstein, malevolent and cunning.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As with Lavrov, Taras’ journey out was perilous, involving some deception and a huge amount of courage.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
22 Mar. 2026
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So, while Massachusetts was accusing Exxon of climate deception, the state was also fighting a records request that exposed its own failure to comply with one of its own climate rules.—
Paul Diego Craney,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The federal government has accused Bien-Amie of spinning a decades-long web of deceit involving multiple identities — and wives — to gain a green card and later American citizenship.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
-
They are all caught in a web of deceit and revenge.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Lindell bragged of spending millions to combat election fraud.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
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Banks are required by law to report suspicious activity in customer accounts to federal authorities in order to flag potential criminal activity, such as money laundering or fraud.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There is no rampant cheating or election fraud in California.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Research shows that artificial intelligence tools can support learning, but also has raised concerns, including students’ overreliance, cheating, and the potential degradation of critical thinking and engagement.—
Jeanne Beatrix Law,
The Conversation,
26 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Wiliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wiliness. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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