slyer also slier ˈslī(-ə)r How to pronounce sly (audio) ; slyest also sliest ˈslī-əst How to pronounce sly (audio)
1
chiefly dialectal
a
: wise in practical affairs
b
: displaying cleverness : ingenious
2
a
: clever in concealing one's aims or ends : furtive
b
: lacking in straightforwardness and candor : dissembling
3
: lightly mischievous : roguish
a sly jest
slyly adverb
or less commonly slily
She slyly evaded the question.
slyness noun
Phrases
on the sly
: in a manner intended to avoid notice
Choose the Right Synonym for sly

sly, cunning, crafty, wily, tricky, foxy, artful, slick 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

cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

Examples of sly in a Sentence

the movie pairs a sly, dissembling ex-con with an upstanding, straight-arrow cop why, you sly fellow! I had no idea you were planning my birthday party
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The novel also features sly references to Zemeckis’ film, including Forrest and Forrest Jr. meeting a young Tom Hanks on the set of Big and the character’s life being made into a movie. John Russell, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024 After some sly teases through a Spotify playlist and a pair of custom websites, Gaga finally confirmed the single’s release date via Instagram on Monday (Oct. 21). Kyle Denis, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2024 The theme is upbeat, but also has a sly quality that captures a certain spirit of the show’s premise: Matlock’s folksy charm may seem harmless, but underestimate him at your peril. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 24 Oct. 2024 The sly way the blue dot sign refers to an election map without actually showing that map reminded me of my suffrage movement research. Christina Elizabeth Dando, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sly 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sleighe, sli, from Old Norse slœgr; akin to Old English slēan to strike — more at slay

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sly was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near sly

Cite this Entry

“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sly. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sly

adjective
slier or slyer ˈslī(-ə)r How to pronounce sly (audio) ; sliest or slyest ˈslī-əst How to pronounce sly (audio)
1
a
: clever at hiding one's goals or purpose
b
: tending to secrecy or concealment
2
: lightly mischievous
a sly smile
slyly adverb
slyness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sly

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