as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
the slyness with which the FBI agent infiltrated the subversive organization without their knowledge was indeed impressive
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Recent Examples of slyness
Ay, the superb slyness of that last response!
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Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slyness
Noun
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Because Maradona, in a burst of cunning and trickery, also used his hand.—
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Landing a good apartment in New York City can take some cunning.—
Noun
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The words lacked diplomatic subtlety, but the mullahs in Tehran got the message.—
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Narrated by the venerable David Attenborough in the BBC version and the incomparable Sigourney Weaver in the Discovery Channel edition, Planet Earth treats audiences with its high-tech, cutting-edge visuals that encompass both the grandeur and subtleties of Mother Earth.—
Cite this Entry
“Slyness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slyness. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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