CRAFTY Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'crafty' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of crafty are artful , cunning , foxy , slick , sly , tricky , and wily . While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method. // a crafty lefthander

Q: Where would 'artful' be a reasonable alternative to 'crafty'?

The words artful and crafty 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

Q: When might 'cunning' be a better fit than 'crafty'?

While in some cases nearly identical to crafty , cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing. // the cunning fox avoided the trap

Q: In what contexts can 'foxy' take the place of 'crafty'?

The words foxy and crafty can be used in similar contexts, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing. // a foxy publicity man planting stories

Q: When is 'slick' a more appropriate choice than 'crafty'?

While the synonyms slick and crafty are close in meaning, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile. // slick operators selling time-sharing

Q: When is it sensible to use 'sly' instead of 'crafty'?

The synonyms sly and crafty are sometimes interchangeable, but sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods. // a sly corporate raider

Q: When can 'tricky' be used instead of 'crafty'?

The meanings of tricky and crafty largely overlap; however, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering. // a tricky political operative

Q: When would 'wily' be a good substitute for 'crafty'?

Although the words wily and crafty have much in common, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering. // the wily fugitive escaped the posse

crafty

adjective

ˈkraf-tē

Definition of crafty next

as in cunning

clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means a crafty real estate broker who got people to sell their property at bargain prices

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How is the word crafty distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of crafty are artful, cunning, foxy, slick, sly, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

Where would artful be a reasonable alternative to crafty?

The words artful and crafty 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 might cunning be a better fit than crafty?

While in some cases nearly identical to crafty, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

In what contexts can foxy take the place of crafty?

The words foxy and crafty can be used in similar contexts, 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 crafty?

While the synonyms slick and crafty are close in meaning, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When is it sensible to use sly instead of crafty?

The synonyms sly and crafty are sometimes interchangeable, but sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

When can tricky be used instead of crafty?

The meanings of tricky and crafty largely overlap; however, 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 crafty?

Although the words wily and crafty have much in common, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Examples 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 crafty Afterward, the always cunning and crafty Larys gets a private word with Aegon and points out that Otto controlled Viserys for years. —

Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 16 June 2024 The crafty settler was able to draw electricity from a power cord plugged into a rooftop outlet. —

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 May 2024 Taken as a whole, the prequels are a shrewd exploration of how a democracy can be undermined from within into authoritarianism — that crafty Palpatine and his corrupting machinations! —

Angelique Jackson, Variety, 11 May 2024 If the thief was a professional curator, then Gradel had been tricked in more ways than one: the improper valuations of some items hadn’t been a sign of ignorance but, rather, a crafty way for Higgs to disguise his identity. —

Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for crafty