Show me
of
Looking for synonyms for "sly"? Browse alternatives ranked by relevance — sharper word choices for fiction, poetry, and copywriting.
(adj)
Sly, cunning, full of tricks.
Relevance: 0%
Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.
Inclined to trickery; sneaky, devious.
Characterized by, or performed with, cleverness or contrivance; clever, ingenious.
Full of guile; treacherously deceptive.
Having the characteristics of a knave; mischievous, roguish, waggish, rascally or impertinent.
Relating to, or characterized by, craft or skill; dexterous.
(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Unsound and unreliable.
Hard to deal with, complicated.
Slippery or smooth due to a covering of liquid; often used to describe appearances.
(informal) Attractive, sexy (of a woman).
Alternative form of cagey. [Wary, careful, shrewd.]
(n)
The action of the verb dissemble
Cunning or deceiving, not straightforward or honest, not frank.
Deliberately misleading or cheating.
Given to or marked by deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech.
(by extension) Dishonest and sneaky; done in a secret or sly manner.
Sly, dishonest, corrupt, cheating.
Showing clever resourcefulness in practical matters.
Dishonest; deceitful.
Of a thing: done with evasive or guilty secrecy.
Causing harm in a stealthy, often gradual, manner.
Evading capture, comprehension or remembrance.
One who sneaks; one who moves stealthily to acquire an item or information.
Senses relating to tangible things.
(countable) A piece of knowledge that is hidden and intended to be kept hidden.
Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.
Evil or mischievous by nature; morally reprehensible.
(of food, drink, or a drug) Not sharp or bitter; not strong in flavor.
Easily giving way under pressure.
Located or positioned out of sight; not visually apparent.
Harmful, malevolent, injurious.
Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition.
(now uncommon, of size) Petite: small, little.
Attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods, especially in politics.
Not ingenuous; not frank or open.
Small in size.
Not deserving of trust; unreliable.
(v)
(intransitive) To hurt or sting.
Newly produced or obtained; recent.
Incapable of being subdued, overcome, or vanquished.
Free from a duty, obligation, rule, law, etc.
Resembling or characteristic of a fox.
Having the characteristics of a fox; foxlike; cunning.
Tasting of sugars.
Characterized by or resembling stealth or secrecy.
Uncommunicative; unwilling or hesitant to give information.
(informal, idiomatic) Having the appearance of being dishonest, criminal, or unreliable.
(figuratively) Secret, surreptitious, concealed.
Stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert (especially movements).
(not comparable) Having the ability to calculate.
The action of one who skulks.
The activity or practice of making secret or underhanded plans.
Obsolete form of wily. [Sly, cunning, full of tricks.]
Being habitually clean, practising good hygiene.
(obsolete) deceptively
Causing much harm in a subtle way.
Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying.
Alternative form of Machiavellian. [Attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods, especially in politics.]
Having an advantageous position.
(rare, poetic) Executed in a workmanlike manner; ingeniously made.
Misspelling of insidious. [Causing harm in a stealthy, often gradual, manner.]
Scornfully mocking or cynical.
In the manner of a master; very skillful.ç
(of schemes, etc.) secret and carefully planned.
Like or befitting a magician.
Directed to the side; sideways.
(obsolete) Pertaining to an engine.
(simile) Very wise.
Using slang.
(adv)
Alternative form of underhanded. [In an underhanded manner.]
Awkwardly expressed but not necessarily untrue; ill-phrased; inexpedient
Skillful at manual tasks.
Intellectually dull or dim-witted.
Confident and skillful; practiced; expert.
Wearing a disguise; dressed in strange or unusual clothes, or taking on a changed appearance, especially to conceal one’s identity.
Like a magician.
Dextrous; having the skill and discipline to do precision work neatly.
Shrewd or crafty.
Conducted in secret; clandestine.
Showing good judgement or the benefit of experience.
In the manner of a crab; sideways.
Firmly and properly laid.
Exactly and carefully conducted.
With insufficient light for easy discernment or comprehension.
Done with the side of the hand.
(now rare) Inwardly, within; internally; secretly.
Being a long and winding route.
traitorly
Done quickly and efficiently.
Careless and inactive; lacking focus or initiative.
(colloquial) Excellently.
spiteful; treacherous
(figurative) In secret; in private.