1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
the movie pairs a sly, dissembling ex-con with an upstanding, straight-arrow cop
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
why, you sly fellow! I had no idea you were planning my birthday party a sly undercover police officer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a sly sense of humor
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sly
Leto, who has done more than a few of these kinds of villainous cartoon characters, brings some scene-stealing sly humor and sharp line readings to his despicable Skeletor with a voice that sounds like a cross between James Earl Jones and Sir Ian McKellen.
—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
Instead, Navarrette explained, the One Wish Willow company’s name — TABI Cat Curiosities — is a sly reference to the YouTube comedy series Curry Barker created with Cooper Tomlinson in 2020.
—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Garcia sets this all up in a sly way, without overstating it.
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Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 May 2026
Her sly implication is that there is more truth to be excavated from memories and off-the-cuff accounts than from official documents and public hearings.
—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sly
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
Instead, Navarrette explained, the One Wish Willow company’s name — TABI Cat Curiosities — is a sly reference to the YouTube comedy series Curry Barker created with Cooper Tomlinson in 2020.
—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Garcia sets this all up in a sly way, without overstating it.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 May 2026
Her sly implication is that there is more truth to be excavated from memories and off-the-cuff accounts than from official documents and public hearings.
—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sly
Adjective
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That doesn't enable cunning and unprincipled men to subvert the power of the people.
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For decades, humans mined antibiotic molecules from microbes and tweaked them to develop new drugs, staying ahead of evolution’s cunning countermeasures.
Adjective
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The weather service also cautions the heat index is calculated for shady areas only.
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That makes these networks valuable for people trying to hide mass scraping, fake ad clicks, account attacks or other shady activity.
Adjective
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The bride and groom both wore custom Christian Dior looks designed by Jonathan Anderson, who’s known for elaborate, mischievous designs.
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Months after Scary Movie's release, Abrahams starred as the mischievous Denny Byrnes in Meet the Parents (2000).
Adjective
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Berries, given their naturally tiny nature, are a super cute choice.
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The pair have to find their friends (JJ included) which leads to a cute game of peekaboo.
Adjective
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From shopping for clothes to nailing Parisian style in the heart of the city itself to snagging groceries to make a meal at your Airbnb, these bags are a sneaky hack to streamline your travel days.
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Bunting and Matthews had sneaky-good chemistry on the ice and off it.
Adjective
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Yamal was a thorn in Saudi Arabia’s side, drifting infield to unleash shots from distance but also peppering the penalty area with wicked deliveries from the right flank.
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Has Sugar’s inherent decency become something of a moral palate cleanser for Oz’s wicked ways?
Adjective
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Obviously there’s a resemblance but in a really subtle and tasteful way.
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Your reward will be the sight of a tiny pale point with a subtle blue-green tint.
Adjective
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Frowning, fidgeting, and exchanging furtive glances—the crowd’s unease was palpable.
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Of course, the modern, rapidly changing technological means of war, being vastly more versatile, fast, furtive, precise, numerous, farther reaching and lethal, will necessitate revisiting the principles of just wars.
Cite this Entry
“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sly. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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