cunning
1 of 2adjective
cun·ning ˈkə-niŋ 
1
: dexterous or crafty in the use of special resources (such as skill or knowledge) or in attaining an end
a cunning plotter
2
: characterized by wiliness and trickery
cunning schemes
3
: prettily appealing : cute
a cunning little kitten
4
: displaying keen insight
a cunning observation
cunningly
ˈkə-niŋ-lē
adverb cunningness noun
cunning
2 of 2noun
1
: dexterous skill and subtlety (as in inventing, devising, or executing)
high-ribbed vault … with perfect cunning framed
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth2
: craft, slyness
3
obsolete
a
: knowledge, learning
b
: magic art
Synonyms
Adjective
- artful
- beguiling
- cagey
- cagy
- crafty
- cute
- designing
- devious
- dodgy [chiefly British]
- foxy
- guileful
- scheming
- shrewd
- slick
- sly
- subtle
- tricky
- wily
Noun
- artfulness
- artifice
- caginess
- cageyness
- canniness
- craft
- craftiness
- cunningness
- deviousness
- foxiness
- guile
- guilefulness
- slickness
- slyness
- sneakiness
- subtleness
- subtlety
- wiliness
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective … this cat has made his way into the Fitness Center for cunning reasons of his own and reveals himself only to certain privileged individuals. Joyce Carol Oates, Harper's, June 2008 Throughout his time hunting the vampire, Manolito had been wounded and poisoned on many occasions, but still he'd survived because he'd always used his brain. He was cunning and shrewd and very intelligent. Christine Feehan, Dark Possession, 2007 I have recounted the advice I received from an old-timer about how to keep raccoons out of garbage cans—advice that eventually included the purchase of a combination lock. ("A raccoon's cunning, but he's got no head for figures.") Calvin Trillin, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 1993 A cunning politician is often found skulking under the clerical robe, with an outside all religion, and an inside all political rancour. Washington Irving, A History of New York, 1809, in History, Tales and Sketches, (1977) 1983 So the Leader went into his den and looked at his children—two very cunning little cubs, lying on the floor. Hugh Lofting, The Story of Doctor Dolittle, 1920 She was cunning enough to fool me. a cunning, underhanded plan to win the election by preying on people's fears and prejudices Noun The writing is best in the play's later scenes, when More deploys his legal cunning to help him weasel out of a political trap set by the oleaginous Thomas Cromwell … John Lahr, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2008 Tsvetaeva was lacking, moreover, in any instinct for cunning or self-preservation, or even for what might be called mere getting along … Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 1994 He could see no change, save that in the eyes there was a look of cunning and in the mouth the curved wrinkle of the hypocrite. Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891 He may be a fraud, but you have to admire his cunning. the cunning with which Tom Sawyer was able to get others to whitewash the fence for him See More
Joyce Carol Oates, Harper's, June 2008 Throughout his time hunting the vampire, Manolito had been wounded and poisoned on many occasions, but still he'd survived because he'd always used his brain. He was cunning and shrewd and very intelligent. Christine Feehan, Dark Possession, 2007 I have recounted the advice I received from an old-timer about how to keep raccoons out of garbage cans—advice that eventually included the purchase of a combination lock. ("A raccoon's cunning, but he's got no head for figures.") Calvin Trillin, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 1993 A cunning politician is often found skulking under the clerical robe, with an outside all religion, and an inside all political rancour. Washington Irving, A History of New York, 1809, in History, Tales and Sketches, (1977) 1983 So the Leader went into his den and looked at his children—two very cunning little cubs, lying on the floor. Hugh Lofting, The Story of Doctor Dolittle, 1920 She was cunning enough to fool me. a cunning, underhanded plan to win the election by preying on people's fears and prejudices Noun The writing is best in the play's later scenes, when More deploys his legal cunning to help him weasel out of a political trap set by the oleaginous Thomas Cromwell … John Lahr, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2008 Tsvetaeva was lacking, moreover, in any instinct for cunning or self-preservation, or even for what might be called mere getting along … Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 1994 He could see no change, save that in the eyes there was a look of cunning and in the mouth the curved wrinkle of the hypocrite. Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891 He may be a fraud, but you have to admire his cunning. the cunning with which Tom Sawyer was able to get others to whitewash the fence for him See More Recent Examples on the Web Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 26 June 2022 And of course, the Kardashian family has created a multibillion-dollar empire out of cunning, chutzpah, a complete lack of inhibition and a willingness to confect drama for ratings. refinery29.com, 18 May 2022 That’s Odysseus—the wiliness, that idea of the cunning trickster. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 26 June 2022 Even if Lady Macbeth appears in substantially fewer scenes than her husband, her cunning mind — and Negga’s command of Shakespeare’s verse — leave an indelible imprint. New York Times, 7 June 2022 Coughlan does great work, balancing Penelope's outward character and the more cunning Whistledown within her. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2022 Everything about this cunning story makes a mockery of its title. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 Pugh is playing Princess Irulan, the daughter of the emperor, while Butler is Feyd-Rautha, the cunning nephew of the baron who heads House Harkonnen and who is being groomed to rule Arrakis. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 May 2022 Did Kathleen Peterson die in a tragic fall — or did her novelist husband, Michael, script a cunning murder? Patrick Rogers, PEOPLE.com, 5 May 2022 Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2022 Not the brilliant but marginalized borderline personality so popular in today’s television, but the real deal, a creature held together by flop sweat, desperate cunning and doggedly delusional ambition. Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2022 The conceptual cunning of Rivera Garza’s stories cannot account for the passion that warms them. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 4 July 2022 That Boris Johnson survived Monday’s snap no-confidence vote within his party is a testament to the British Prime Minister’s charisma and cunning. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 6 June 2022 To go in knowing little or nothing about the play may be the purest way to experience its dramatic cunning. Naveen Kumar, Variety, 17 Apr. 2022 If talks fail, Bennett could appear to have been outsmarted by Putin's cunning and could be blamed for the conflict having worsened. Tia Goldenberg, ajc, 6 Mar. 2022 If talks fail, Bennett could appear to have been outsmarted by Putin's cunning and could be blamed for the conflict having worsened. Tia Goldenberg, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Mar. 2022 There also isn’t any record of their possessing any abilities more superhuman than cunning and charisma. Joe Leydon, Variety, 4 Apr. 2022 See More
Adjective
The weak position means resorting to tricks that are not to do with being physically strong but to do with clever tongues, cunning, and high spirits. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 26 June 2022 And of course, the Kardashian family has created a multibillion-dollar empire out of cunning, chutzpah, a complete lack of inhibition and a willingness to confect drama for ratings. refinery29.com, 18 May 2022 That’s Odysseus—the wiliness, that idea of the cunning trickster. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 26 June 2022 Even if Lady Macbeth appears in substantially fewer scenes than her husband, her cunning mind — and Negga’s command of Shakespeare’s verse — leave an indelible imprint. New York Times, 7 June 2022 Coughlan does great work, balancing Penelope's outward character and the more cunning Whistledown within her. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2022 Everything about this cunning story makes a mockery of its title. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 Pugh is playing Princess Irulan, the daughter of the emperor, while Butler is Feyd-Rautha, the cunning nephew of the baron who heads House Harkonnen and who is being groomed to rule Arrakis. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 May 2022 Did Kathleen Peterson die in a tragic fall — or did her novelist husband, Michael, script a cunning murder? Patrick Rogers, PEOPLE.com, 5 May 2022 Noun
Harris’ Duke plays the villainous snob with a degree of cunning that keeps us uncertain of the extent of his depravity. Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2022 Not the brilliant but marginalized borderline personality so popular in today’s television, but the real deal, a creature held together by flop sweat, desperate cunning and doggedly delusional ambition. Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2022 The conceptual cunning of Rivera Garza’s stories cannot account for the passion that warms them. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 4 July 2022 That Boris Johnson survived Monday’s snap no-confidence vote within his party is a testament to the British Prime Minister’s charisma and cunning. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 6 June 2022 To go in knowing little or nothing about the play may be the purest way to experience its dramatic cunning. Naveen Kumar, Variety, 17 Apr. 2022 If talks fail, Bennett could appear to have been outsmarted by Putin's cunning and could be blamed for the conflict having worsened. Tia Goldenberg, ajc, 6 Mar. 2022 If talks fail, Bennett could appear to have been outsmarted by Putin's cunning and could be blamed for the conflict having worsened. Tia Goldenberg, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Mar. 2022 There also isn’t any record of their possessing any abilities more superhuman than cunning and charisma. Joe Leydon, Variety, 4 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English, from present participle of can know
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a
Phrases Containing cunning
Kids Definition
cunning 1 of 2
adjective
cun·ning ˈkə-niŋ
1
: skillful and clever at using special knowledge or at getting something done
a cunning craftsman
2
: showing craftiness and trickery
a cunning plot
a cunning thief
cunning
2 of 2noun
1
: skill sense 1, dexterity
… they … felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning … J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit2
: cleverness or skill especially at tricking people in order to get something
… she had been defeated by the superior cunning of the aged witch … L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz
L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Ozcunning 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in cute
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means a cunning, underhanded plan to win the election by preying on people's fears and prejudices Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- cute
- subtle
- wily
- deceptive
- shrewd
- slick
- sly
- devious
- dishonest
- treacherous
- scheming
- artful
- crafty
- fraudulent
- guileful
- beguiling
- designing
- crooked
- foxy
- cagey
- deceitful
- tricky
- calculating
- plotting
- cagy
- slippery
- dodgy
- astute
- shady
- sharp
- unscrupulous
- sneaky
- covert
- knavish
- underhanded
- clandestine
- glib
- undercover
- shifty
- underhand
- serpentine
- secret
- facile
- concealed
- oblique
- insinuating
- Machiavellian
- hypocritical
- stealthy
- circular
- insincere
- surreptitious
- roundabout
- circuitous
- backhanded
- furtive
- two-faced
- smooth-tongued
- double-dealing
- mealy
- mealymouthed
- left-handed
- hugger-mugger
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- guileless
- artless
- innocent
- obvious
- plain
- simple
- ingenuous
- real
- outspoken
- forthright
- public
- straightforward
- honest
- sincere
- unconcealed
- natural
- direct
- frank
- open
- unaffected
- unsophisticated
- unpretentious
- candid
- childlike
- unpretending
- patent
- unvarnished
- unworldly
- impressionable
- simpleminded
- undesigning
- aboveboard
- plainspoken
- trusting
- trustful
- unstudied
- unforced
2
as in skillful
skillful with the hands only the most cunning cabinetmaker could have crafted such a beautifully proportioned chest of drawers Synonyms & Similar Words
- skillful
- clever
- skilled
- deft
- dexterous
- dextrous
- adept
- capable
- proficient
- graceful
- handy
- agile
- nimble
- competent
- spry
- masterful
- limber
- masterly
- expert
- lissome
- lithe
- flexible
- lissom
- able
- coordinated
- qualified
- lithesome
- habile
- sure-handed
- loose-jointed
- double-jointed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- clumsy
- unhandy
- handless
- wooden
- ungainly
- uneasy
- awkward
- klutzy
- ungraceful
- ham-fisted
- graceless
- stiff
- ham-handed
- gawky
- gauche
- uncomfortable
- incompetent
- heavy-handed
- inept
- stilted
- bungling
- fumbling
- uncoordinated
- butterfingered
- incapable
- inexpert
- rough-hewn
- maladroit
cunning
2 of 2noun
1
as in slyness
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means the cunning with which Tom Sawyer was able to get others to whitewash the fence for him Synonyms & Similar Words
- slyness
- guile
- cunningness
- deviousness
- subtlety
- sneakiness
- artfulness
- wiliness
- canniness
- craftiness
- subtleness
- caginess
- craft
- slickness
- ease
- shrewdness
- artifice
- cleverness
- savvy
- calculation
- guilefulness
- foxiness
- inventiveness
- ingenuity
- cageyness
- design
- ingeniousness
- care
- finesse
- duplicity
- underhandedness
- shiftiness
- deceitfulness
- sharpness
- facility
2
as in skill
subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something the unmatched cunning of the scout who led them safely through the trackless wilderness Synonyms & Similar Words
- skill
- skillfulness
- cleverness
- adeptness
- artfulness
- adroitness
- deftness
- art
- artistry
- proficiency
- masterfulness
- ease
- talent
- knack
- creativity
- finesse
- expertise
- ingenuity
- aptitude
- dexterity
- artifice
- inventiveness
- experience
- craft
- flair
- knowledge
- expertness
- handiness
- gift
- learning
- know-how
- bent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ineptitude
- artlessness
- ineptness
- clumsiness
- awkwardness
- amateurishness
- incompetence
- rudeness
- crudeness
- incapacity
- inefficiency
- maladroitness
- inability
- ineffectiveness
- ineffectuality
- incapability
- inadequacy
- klutziness
- inefficacy
- ineffectualness
- inadequateness
3
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery used cunning and subterfuge to lure unwitting victims into the fraudulent scheme Synonyms & Similar Words
- deception
- deceit
- deceptiveness
- cheating
- fraud
- deceitfulness
- guile
- lying
- cunningness
- duplicity
- wiliness
- dissimulation
- craftiness
- dishonesty
- dissembling
- cozenage
- fakery
- crookedness
- secrecy
- dupery
- double-dealing
- subterfuge
- craft
- trickery
- crookery
- shrewdness
- artifice
- prevarication
- foxiness
- artfulness
- chicanery
- deviousness
- mendacity
- guilefulness
- fraudulence
- swindling
- skulduggery
- jugglery
- wile
- legerdemain
- slyness
- hypocrisy
- obliquity
- equivocation
- sneakiness
- skullduggery
- insincerity
- underhandedness
- unscrupulousness
- fib
- chicane
- caginess
- stealthiness
- furtiveness
- sanctimoniousness
- shiftiness
- falsehood
- covertness
- untruth
- mountebankery
- two-facedness
- smoothness
- hanky-panky
- treacherousness
- slipperiness
- shadiness
- cageyness
- slickness
- falsity
- oiliness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sincerity
- ingenuousness
- guilelessness
- artlessness
- frankness
- forthrightness
- candor
- directness
- openness
- honesty
- plainness
- candidness
- probity
- reliability
- good faith
- goodness
- solidity
- trustworthiness
- dependability
- integrity
- decency
- truthfulness
- righteousness
- plainspokenness
- virtuousness
- uprightness
- incorruptibility
- reliableness
- trustiness
- trustability
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of cunning are artful, crafty, foxy, slick, sly, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.
the cunning fox avoided the trap
While in some cases nearly identical to cunning, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.
elicited the information by artful questioning
The synonyms crafty and cunning are sometimes interchangeable, but crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.
a crafty lefthander
The words foxy and cunning can be used in similar contexts, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.
a foxy publicity man planting stories
In some situations, the words slick and cunning are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.
slick operators selling time-sharing
Although the words sly and cunning have much in common, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.
a sly corporate raider
While the synonyms tricky and cunning are close in meaning, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.
a tricky political operative
The meanings of wily and cunning largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.
the wily fugitive escaped the posse