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Synonym Chooser

How is the word sly distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sly are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, tricky, and wily. While all these words 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

Where would artful be a reasonable alternative to sly?

The words artful and sly 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 could crafty be used to replace sly?

While in some cases nearly identical to sly, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

In what contexts can cunning take the place of sly?

While the synonyms cunning and sly are close in meaning, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When is it sensible to use foxy instead of sly?

The synonyms foxy and sly are sometimes interchangeable, 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 sly?

In some situations, the words slick and sly are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When might tricky be a better fit than sly?

Although the words tricky and sly have much in common, 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 sly?

The meanings of wily and sly largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example 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 sly Meanwhile, Adebayo has continued to support Wilson with sly social media posts. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025 The boisterous comedian lights up the stage with sly wit and brazen confidence, conveying Moss’ righteous fury over being bottom of the office food chain. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025 When Harrison zooms all the way into the specifics of a scene, especially in those vignettes with Cheung’s mother and Spahn’s coder, his work sings most cleanly, where naturalism melds with sly wit. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025 But reception took a turn for a worse when critics noticed Meta’s sly approach to ranking on LMArena, a site that ranks LLMs based on user votes. IEEE Spectrum, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sly
Adjective
  • McLaren’s Piastri began in pole position and initially held off Verstappen before the Dutchman displayed all the brilliance, cunning and bravery that has propelled him to four world championships, holding off the brakes as long as possible and sliding around the outside on the first turn.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 18 May 2025
  • Unfortunately, Porsha isn’t cunning enough for this to work.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • Patti LuPone had a shady reaction to questions about Audra McDonald in a new interview.
    Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 27 May 2025
  • John Frankenheimer’s gritty heist flick is packed with shifting loyalties, shady motives and not one, but two, figure-skating set pieces.
    Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, Footwear News, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • Sure there might be a mischievous mouse-deer stealing fruit from an orangutan, but once the mystery is solved, the two animals comprise on how to share—no harm or conflict intended.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 20 May 2025
  • Two decades on, Stitch ranks among Disney’s most ubiquitous characters — especially from a merchandising perspective, as that mischievous mug of his can be seen on backpacks, plush toys, T-shirts and, well, mugs of all sizes.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • She has been married twice, marrying director Chris Calkins in 2009. 08 of 09 Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd Woody Harrelson's Woody Boyd joined Cheers in season 4 as a not-so-bright but very cute bartender.
    Kate Hogan, People.com, 20 May 2025
  • There are some funny bits including Kenan Thompson’s moment and joking about Sherman getting fired, but the most apt word to describe this monologue is cute.
    Rosa Escandon, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Upgrade to some new bags that hold a sneaky amount of stuff and look great doing it.
    Sara Coughlin, SELF, 19 May 2025
  • From sneaky ways to get her grandkids outside to turning tiny household tasks into exciting activities, here are the nostalgic summer things your Southern grandma would use to entertain and delight on a trip to her house.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • This one says that offshore holding companies are wicked and should be penalized.
    William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • Of course, the wicked power of this franchise’s best installment extends beyond its initial stretch on a highway to hell.
    A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Arthritis in your fingers often starts with subtle changes.
    Brandi Jones, Health, 25 May 2025
  • The navy, white, and subtle red palette nods to the seaside and seamlessly blends into Printemps' signature French elegance.
    Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • Asked by the newspaper’s lawyers to explain how the furtive system worked, Mr. Frankel typed up a 14-page memo.
    David W. Dunlap, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Several of these involve a furtive religious cult known as the Scars — its adherents have a way of pussyfooting through the forest and doing absolutely horrible things to nonbelievers.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sly. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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