slyness
Sneaky, knowing quality
Slyness is the quality of being cunning, secretive, or craftily clever.
It suggests achieving aims through indirect or deceptive means rather than straightforward action: There was a slyness to his smile that made her uneasy.
The word can imply playful mischief or genuine untrustworthiness, depending on context.
Practically clever, perceptive
- astuteMentally sharp, discerning
- craftyCleverly deceptive
- wilySkilled at deception
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
canny · savvy · clever · sharp · strategic · tactical · scheming · artful
Intentional misleading of others
- ruseDeliberate act of deception
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- chicaneryDeception through clever manipulation
- artificeClever deceptive strategy
ploy · scheme · machination · stratagem · feint · con · gimmick · hoax
Skilled at controlling others
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
- deceitfulInclined to mislead others
underhanded · treacherous · two-faced · disingenuous · insidious · guileful · dissembling · unscrupulous
Secretive and sly
- covertIntentionally concealed
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- surreptitiousDone secretly, avoiding detection
- secretiveInclined to conceal
sneaky · stealthy · skulking · creeping · inconspicuous · undetected · shadowy · undercover
Having fine distinctions
- understatedDeliberately minimized in expression
- indirectNot straight or immediate
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- tactfulSocially sensitive and careful
discreet · insinuating · suggestive · oblique · veiled · implied · sophisticated · refined
shrewd
Practically clever, perceptive
calculating · canny · savvy · clever · sharp · strategic · tactical · scheming · artful · ingenious
deception
Intentional misleading of others
- ruseDeliberate act of deception
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- chicaneryDeception through clever manipulation
artifice · ploy · scheme · machination · stratagem · feint · con · gimmick · hoax · bamboozlement
manipulative
Skilled at controlling others
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
deceitful · underhanded · treacherous · two-faced · disingenuous · insidious · guileful · dissembling · unscrupulous · dishonest
furtive
Secretive and sly
- covertIntentionally concealed
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- surreptitiousDone secretly, avoiding detection
secretive · sneaky · stealthy · skulking · creeping · inconspicuous · undetected · shadowy · undercover · evasive
nuanced
Having fine distinctions
- understatedDeliberately minimized in expression
- indirectNot straight or immediate
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
tactful · discreet · insinuating · suggestive · oblique · veiled · implied · sophisticated · refined · deft
fox
Cunning wild canine
weasel · cat · spider · coyote · jackal · raven · trickster · predatory · prowling
- stealthsneak, ninja, creep, spy, skulk
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, wily
- wileswiles, guile, cunning, craftiness, trickery
- audacityboldness, brazenness, audacity, chutzpah, gall
- cat traitssilky coat, coat, tabby pattern, claws, long-haired
- deceptionslie, lies, lying, deceit, decoy
slynesshonesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
candor · directness · frankness · forthrightness · truthfulness
slynessguilelessness
Absence of cunning
artlessness · naivety · innocence · ingenuousness · simplicity
slynessintegrity
Moral soundness and consistency
loyalty · trustworthiness · honor · uprightness · probity
sly, sleight, slyer, slyest, slier, sleights, sliest, slyboots