shiftier; shiftiest
1
: full of or ready with expedients : resourceful
2
a
: given to deception, evasion, or fraud : tricky
b
: capable of evasive movement : elusive
a shifty boxer
3
: indicative of a tricky nature
shifty eyes
shiftily adverb
shiftiness noun

Examples of shifty in a Sentence

shifty politicians making deals to channel federal funds into their districts shifty practices such as turning back the odometers on used cars
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Wade was an everyman, albeit a shifty one who could leap fearlessly toward the rim, pinball between larger defenders, and score. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024 And yet, and yet, and yet: The terrain of cowardice is shifty and paradoxical. Chris Walsh, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2015 In the 24-3 loss, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt called an end-around rush for a shifty gain of nine. Oliver Thomas, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024 When Tóth arrives in the City of Brotherly Love, he’s welcomed by his cousin with open-ish arms (the shifty cousin is played by a brilliant Alessandro Nivola, whose beaming face betrays a war of attrition between loyalty and assimilation). David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 1 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shifty 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shifty was circa 1570

Cite this Entry

“Shifty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shifty. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

shifty

adjective
shiftier; shiftiest
1
: not worthy of trust : tricky
2
: indicating a tricky character
shifty eyes
shiftily adverb
shiftiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on shifty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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