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
-
When confronted, deceit turns their romantic evening into a darkly comedic nightmare.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
-
The nation has now paid a steep price for its deceit and deception.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Last month, Kubler was indicted by the Justice Department on charges of securities fraud and money laundering.—
Sydney Sasser,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
-
Braddock didn’t appear in Life After Lockup, but denied being the mastermind behind the fraud during the trial.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
1 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Wiliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wiliness. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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