Dictionary
crafty
adjective \ˈkraf-tē\
: clever in usually a deceptive or dishonest way
craft·i·ercraft·i·est
Full Definition of CRAFTY
2
a : adept in the use of subtlety and cunning b : marked by subtlety and guile <a crafty scheme>
— craft·i·ly \ˈkraf-tə-lē\ adverb
— craft·i·ness \-tē-nəs\ noun
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First Known Use of CRAFTY
before 12th century
Related to CRAFTY
Synonym Discussion of CRAFTY
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>.
Rhymes with CRAFTY
CRAFTILY Defined for Kids
crafty
adjective \ˈkraf-tē\
craft·i·ercraft·i·est
Definition of CRAFTY for Kids
: skillful at tricking others : cunning
— craft·i·ly \ˈkraf-tə-lē\ adverb
— craft·i·ness \-tē-nəs\ noun
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