variants
also cageyness
1
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters
most consumers should possess sufficient caginess to see through that scam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
the lawyer's celebrated caginess makes her the first choice of the hopelessly guilty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caginess
Noun
-
Israeli intelligence expert Sima Shein has warned that negotiations narrowly focused on nuclear restrictions could leave Israel exposed.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026 -
The feed was sent directly to Russian intelligence.—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Holding viewers by the throat for a handful of strong beats, even as the script slips through the entire cast’s fingers, the devilish actor sells Besson’s interpretation on charisma and cunning.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Strategy and cunning or physicality and grace?—
Zack Pierce,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Still, don’t be afraid to let your quick wit make a complex topic simple.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Some voters may not respond to his charm and wit.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And Ten Hag’s training ground shrewdness was meant to correct that.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There are some subtleties to the mechanism that can explain the unpredictability of loss of desire.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Perfect for those who prefer subtlety in romance and in their nail designs.—
Rebecca Norris,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the study still has some useful insights for us, and the most important is that injuries don’t come out of nowhere.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The General Land Office manages public land, public school funding, and disaster relief, yet most Texans have little insight into how decisions are made.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Ay, the superb slyness of that last response!—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Mike Bowman, designer, furniture industry expert, and director of marketing for Harmonia Living, says this trend relies on furnishings to bring artfulness to a space—rather than just functionality.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Caginess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caginess. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
