sly

adjective

ˈslī How to pronounce sly (audio)
Definition of slynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness a sly sense of humor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sly distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sly are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

Where would artful be a reasonable alternative to sly?

The words artful and sly are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When could crafty be used to replace sly?

While in some cases nearly identical to sly, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

In what contexts can cunning take the place of sly?

While the synonyms cunning and sly are close in meaning, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When is it sensible to use foxy instead of sly?

The synonyms foxy and sly are sometimes interchangeable, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When is slick a more appropriate choice than sly?

In some situations, the words slick and sly are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When might tricky be a better fit than sly?

Although the words tricky and sly have much in common, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When would wily be a good substitute for sly?

The meanings of wily and sly largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sly One night, over dinner, his dad tossed out a few sly questions. —Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 14 July 2025 Demonstrating a talent for working in fluent french peppered with a british accent, the actor delivers one of his most indelible acting turns as the sly, wry, and wise business mogul-turned- butler who finds new purpose in life working on the other side of the fence. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 July 2025 The sly twist from humility to confidence — all delivered with a not self-aware nonchalant shrug to the crowd — drives home how much more powerful the song is, in every case, than its writer or performer. —Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Her long, dark hair was messily waved, hanging past her shoulders like a shawl, while her eyebrows were shaved extremely thin, leaving little room for any expression other than a sly smile. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sly
  1. cunning
  2. shady
  3. mischievous
  4. cute
  5. sneaky
  6. wicked
  7. subtle
  8. furtive
Adjective
  • O’ahu, Maui, Kaua’i and the big island of Hawai’i were all joined by water but divided by greedy men, cunning chiefs and a cycle of endless combat.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Slated for release on July 17, 2026, The Odyssey is an adaptation of the epic poem from Homer, which tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his perilous journey home after the Trojan War, exploring themes of heroism, loyalty, cunning, and the struggle against divine will.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • The former Oakland Raiders linebacker was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shady military pal in Predator (1987) before landing his own macho action vehicle in Action Jackson (1988).
    — Skyler Trepel, EW.com, 25 July 2025
  • Visitors will find 2,000 miles of shady hiking trails, 3,000 ponds and lakes with water originating from cool mountain peaks, 30,000 miles of fresh and often chilly rivers and streams and millions of acres of sun-filtering forests.
    — Matt Alderton, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • But he was also known for his mischievous nature with teammates.
    — Jason Jones, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
  • The cat's clumsy adventure quickly charmed viewers who recognized the mischievous nature of felines.
    — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
Definition of mischievous
Adjective
  • The moment in which Guy and Nan reunite at the courthouse and mirror each other on a staircase and over a railing, respectively, is reminiscent of their meet cute in Season 1.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 30 July 2025
  • Make lunchtime fun again with the help of a cute and colorful bento box or a fun, interactive lunch box.
    — Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 30 July 2025
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • Herr says the company is about to release a domestic version that can help with three-hour time differences—which, as any coast-to-coast traveler can tell you, can be a sneaky energy suck.
    — Aislyn Greene, AFAR Media, 31 July 2025
  • The Dodgers might be content to let Snell and Sasaki get healthy and focus on the bullpen at the trade deadline, but there's one sneaky arm Los Angeles should consider if the price is right.
    — Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 2025
Definition of sneaky
Adjective
  • Similarly, a text grappling with a wicked problem shouldn’t stay limited by the narrow confines of literary genre, instead blending journalism, memoir, fiction, and narrative nonfiction.
    — Melody Glenn July 23, Literary Hub, 23 July 2025
  • Stinging and 'wicked' Asian needle ants are spreading across the US Are invasive tawny crazy ants in Ohio?
    — Kim Luciani, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • Climate change continues to have a profound impact on the Great Lakes region, bringing more extreme weather, declining fish populations, and subtle but profound economic transformation.
    — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Interplay of rough and polished diamonds continued, with a wide range of hues from white to subtle greens and browns, and the use of materials such as natural jet and grand-feu enamel.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 24 July 2025
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • Tom Cruise may shoot furtive glances at co-stars, punch of co-stars in the face and/or betray co-stars for the good of mankind.
    — Keith Sharon, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
  • Mounting fear within the Jewish and Conservative communities of New York is that Mamdani’s furtive stance of justice for Palestine and divestment from Israel is stoking the flame of more virulent Anti-Semitism to come.
    — Alexandra Bregman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Definition of furtive

Browse Nearby Words

slutty
sly
slyboots
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Cite this Entry

“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sly. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

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