1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
tried to fix the game with a guileful plot to sabotage the other team's bats, but the umpire caught them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception
received a guileful answer when I asked the dealer if the used car had ever been in a collision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guileful
Adjective
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Reading it, one is reminded, once again, that Trump is a politician who is cunning but semiliterate and ignorant.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2025 -
Sign up The abusive couple were cunning, said Allison Pearson in The Daily Telegraph.—
The Week UK,
theweek,
21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken some steps to regulate the collection of data in vehicles, focusing on consumer protection and preventing deceptive practices.—
Eric Reicin,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Burrowes’ new fraud lawsuit also includes claims for unjust enrichment and deceptive business practices.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Pair the bottoms with a cute bodysuit or match the top with skirts or shorts, and you're left with multiple outfits in one.—
Jennifer Vermeer,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Feb. 2025
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And the town of Brenham is filled with cute boutiques and restaurants.—
Cynthia Drake,
Southern Living,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Unpaid toll text messages are likely a scam, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission warns, urging drivers to stay vigilant and avoid falling for fraudulent messages claiming overdue toll notices.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
22 Feb. 2025
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Warning signs of fraudulent debt relief companies Unfortunately, the debt relief industry is not immune to scams.—
Gabriel Rodriguez,
Sacramento Bee,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Soft and subtle raspberry aromas, as well as rich black cherries and beef jerky.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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These devices are more precise and subtle than old fashioned metal detectors, using specific sensitivity settings and artificial intelligence to detect hidden weapons as opposed to harmless items such as keys and phones, allowing people to enter facilities with very little delay.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And not in a shady way and not to tear her down as a person.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
3 Mar. 2025
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Months of fighting the rape claims in federal court in NYC and failing to get the matter tossed out saw a lot of bitter finger pointing with claims of bribery, shady probes and lying from all sides, to varying degrees.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As a side sleeper who constantly wakes up with a crooked neck and often back pain, this was a huge plus.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
27 Feb. 2025
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In short, repealing the FCPA will be a boon to crooked foreign corporations and will create an uneven playing field—in their favor.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Out of all the ugly and dishonest things that Donald Trump said about Volodymyr Zelensky last week, the ugliest was not dishonest at all.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2025
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But the contestant also feels that some of those accusing her of dishonest gameplay need only look in the mirror.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
12 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Guileful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guileful. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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