How to Use artful in a Sentence

artful

adjective
  • That sums up the progress of an artful leader.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
  • The line between artful homage and mimicry is, of course, quite thin.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • Are there more artful ways of asking to hold the baby these days?
    — Carolyn Hax, The Seattle Times, 29 Apr. 2017
  • The designs in the mold make your cookies look like artful tiles.
    — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
  • But he has not been swayed by any of their catchy slogans or artful headshots.
    — Zia Ur-Rehman Saiyna Bashir, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024
  • The goal scorer then took an artful first touch before drilling it home.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2026
  • This one wasn’t very artful, and right now neither is the offense.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 12 Oct. 2019
  • The base is kept bare, which makes for the perfect contrast for the artful tip.
    — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The speaker will have to be open, clear, somewhat artful.
    — Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Turn to Merlette’s artful wrap dress.
    — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 11 May 2026
  • This all white look gets an artful touch with playful, sculptural dots that are worth the splurge.
    — Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2021
  • Bring it to the table for a low-key pop or leave it out as an artful accent all on its own.
    — Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 18 June 2025
  • Pair it with a baklava or the Greek custard for an artful dessert.
    — Nickole Kerner Bobley, Houston Chronicle, 3 Nov. 2017
  • And subtle—but artful—touches of print.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026
  • There are ways to make this kind of movie at once artful, entertaining and true.
    — Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2021
  • The cheese flavor comes from an artful blend of yeast, lactic acid and sourdough.
    — Jolene Thym, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Notice how this is an artful volley around the table?
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
  • However, again, the kitchen found an artful way to make each dish special.
    — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Jan. 2018
  • Foster had written a speech that was artful and elusive.
    — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Short nails provide just as good of a canvas as long nails do for creative, artful looks.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
  • No one did that better or with more artful affection.
    — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Everything about his game is artful, and at times, genius.
    — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
  • There’s an artful elegance to this film’s suspense as well.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
  • There’s a bit of that, but Showalter is up to something more sly, and maybe more artful.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Sep. 2021
  • What viewers didn't see though, was one artful touch which Ford wasn't able to include on the show.
    — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, 25 Mar. 2019
  • These are for the artful burner, someone who lights a candle as much for its vibe as its aroma.
    — Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Cleo is a Nassau girl and artful dodger whose world collides with the Pogues.
    — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, 29 July 2021
  • At the last minute, war was avoided, thanks to a bit of artful back-channel diplomacy.
    — Thom Patterson, CNN, 6 Apr. 2018
  • In an artful touch, the waste-nothing chef finishes the plate with tortilla ash.
    — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024
  • Some of my best fall outfits are comprised of classic pieces like jeans, sweaters, and great boots, worn in artful ways.
    — Vogue, 25 Aug. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'artful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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