artful
adjective
William Wordsworth 
Did you know?
A writer may produce an artful piece of prose, one that's clearly and elegantly written. The same writer might also make an artful argument, one that cleverly leaves out certain details and plays up others so as to make a stronger case. In the first instance, the prose is well crafted; in the second, the argument might instead be called crafty. But even though both uses are correct, most of us still use artful somewhat differently from artistic.
Synonyms
- beguiling
- cagey
- cagy
- crafty
- cunning
- cute
- designing
- devious
- dodgy [chiefly British]
- foxy
- guileful
- scheming
- shrewd
- slick
- sly
- subtle
- tricky
- wily
Example Sentences
Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2022 Near the Eiffel Tower, the three-bedroom Rue de Bourgogne apartment is characterized by artful interiors, with geometric titles and distinct beams. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2022 The artful shoot, captured by photographer Zhong Lin, showcases the Being the Ricardos actress in a playful mood. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 23 Aug. 2022 Each 45-minute episode delves into a particular chef's psyche and highlights their craft through artful videos of their food, accompanied by dramatic classical music. Andi Berlin, The Arizona Republic, 19 Aug. 2022 But now, his artful live show execution has matched his studio creativity. Piet Levy, Journal Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2022 The team then left the soft, textural, raw plaster in the addition as-is, which imbued it with an artful, atmospheric feel. Marni Elyse Katz, House Beautiful, 17 Aug. 2022 Hidden among mangroves, the in-the-sand, fine-dining restaurant specializes in modern Mexican fare with artful plating. Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 Every piece boasts artful and intentional tailoring: cutouts that skim the sides of stretchy black pants and a tank top with a just-so extended sleeve for asymmetrical flair. Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
art entry 1 + -ful entry 1
1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
artful
adjective
artful
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- cunning
- cute
- subtle
- deceptive
- slick
- fraudulent
- beguiling
- dishonest
- sly
- crafty
- shrewd
- designing
- wily
- devious
- guileful
- treacherous
- crooked
- tricky
- scheming
- cagey
- foxy
- deceitful
- dodgy
- plotting
- shady
- astute
- calculating
- sharp
- slippery
- cagy
- oblique
- unscrupulous
- clandestine
- glib
- covert
- sneaky
- facile
- circular
- underhanded
- knavish
- circuitous
- serpentine
- insinuating
- hypocritical
- undercover
- surreptitious
- concealed
- underhand
- secret
- shifty
- insincere
- roundabout
- stealthy
- furtive
- backhanded
- Machiavellian
- smooth-tongued
- two-faced
- double-dealing
- mealy
- mealymouthed
- hugger-mugger
- left-handed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- artless
- guileless
- innocent
- obvious
- simple
- public
- plain
- unpretentious
- straightforward
- real
- candid
- forthright
- natural
- honest
- sincere
- direct
- ingenuous
- frank
- open
- outspoken
- unsophisticated
- unconcealed
- unvarnished
- unaffected
- childlike
- unpretending
- patent
- impressionable
- aboveboard
- unworldly
- undesigning
- plainspoken
- simpleminded
- unstudied
- unforced
- trusting
- trustful
Synonyms & Similar Words
- clever
- imaginative
- inventive
- innovative
- creative
- ingenious
- sophisticated
- practical
- useful
- convenient
- adventurous
- intelligent
- original
- neat
- deft
- groundbreaking
- visionary
- complex
- nifty
- fresh
- adroit
- novel
- smart
- dexterous
- handy
- gimmicky
- expert
- cleverish
- handsome
- dextrous
- tricky
- brainy
- gadgety
- sharp
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unimaginative
- uncreative
- dull
- pedestrian
- pedantic
- derivative
- stodgy
- hackneyed
- useless
- impractical
- unoriginal
- canned
- assembly-line
- cookie-cutter
Synonyms & Similar Words
- virtuoso
- skillful
- artistic
- masterful
- delicate
- deft
- adroit
- smooth
- expert
- bravura
- dexterous
- masterly
- workmanlike
- dextrous
- creative
- practiced
- ingenious
- clever
- adept
- cunning
- neat
- fancy
- practised
- facile
- adequate
- capable
- competent
- able
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- artless
- amateurish
- crude
- amateur
- unprofessional
- clumsy
- awkward
- rude
- ineffective
- unskillful
- ineffectual
- incompetent
- inept
- klutzy
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of artful are crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, sly, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.
The meanings of crafty and artful largely overlap; however, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.
Although the words cunning and artful have much in common, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.
The words foxy and artful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.
The words slick and artful can be used in similar contexts, but slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.
In some situations, the words sly and artful are roughly equivalent. However, sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.
While in some cases nearly identical to artful, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.
While the synonyms wily and artful are close in meaning, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.