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 chief specimen here (played by MMA fighter Chi Lewis-Parry) is a massive beast whose brute strength is matched by his cunning.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025 -
On the other end of the spectrum was the more docile Kelly who often felt conflicted when her morals clashed with the cunning needed to succeed in the game.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
This stylization gives her a veneer of being disarmingly kind; but ultimately, is a form of deception that caused Sophie to fatally trust this person.—
Tiffany Leigh,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
Codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, the overnight mission relied on deception, aerial refueling, and near-total radio silence to hit Iran's Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities—sites that had withstood weeks of sustained Israeli attacks.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
But the level of deceit of this entire plan is mind-boggling.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2025
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The defense’s case largely rests on accusations that the investigation into O’Keefe’s death was mired by deceit, incompetence and bias.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
Criminals that are able to gain access to passwords put up for sale on the dark web are able to use them for identify theft, fraud, and even blackmail.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
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The truth is that almost all the fraud, waste and abuse in the health care system comes from the billing and payment processes and skyrocketing prices, not from people who rely on Medicaid for essential care.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Wiliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wiliness. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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