as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a wily judge of character, she takes advantage of car buyers' insecurities to sell them a bigger machine than they really need
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 wily
Then a giant sunflower will blossom into my email directory, thanks to a wily plant nursery eager for a sale.
—
Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 17 June 2025
Still, there’s a lot of wily, seasoned talent in that squad, including Sergio Ramos, Óliver Torres and Lucas Ocampos, who know a thing or two about the big stage.
—Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 13 June 2025
Henriette protects Antonin by being wily enough to successfully keep their relationship a secret from Fouché for a few episodes.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 11 June 2025
Sporting a bushy salt-and-pepper beard and a world-weary look in his eyes, Pearce finds dimensions both tragic and devious in what could have been merely the stock character of the wily long-term inmate whose isolation has cost him his humanity.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wily
Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 17 June 2025
Still, there’s a lot of wily, seasoned talent in that squad, including Sergio Ramos, Óliver Torres and Lucas Ocampos, who know a thing or two about the big stage.
—Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 13 June 2025
Henriette protects Antonin by being wily enough to successfully keep their relationship a secret from Fouché for a few episodes.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 11 June 2025
Sporting a bushy salt-and-pepper beard and a world-weary look in his eyes, Pearce finds dimensions both tragic and devious in what could have been merely the stock character of the wily long-term inmate whose isolation has cost him his humanity.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wily
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
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
Cite this Entry
“Wily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wily. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share