Synonyms of cunning
32 similar words · 8 opposite words
Another word for cunning is craft. Other synonyms of cunning are guile, wile and art. The opposite of cunning is bluntness.
Synonyms and similar words for cunning
adjectiveSly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.
- astute
- artfulSkilful at using dishonest or unfair means to achieve a purpose; crafty, cunning.
- craftySkillful at deceiving others.
- deviousCunning or deceiving, not straightforward or honest, not frank.
- diabolical slang(Devilishly) cunning or devious.
- foxlikeResembling or characteristic of a fox.
- foxyCunning, sly.
- frood ScotlandShrewd; sagacious; wary; cautious.
- guilefulFull of guile; treacherously deceptive.
- shrewdArtful, tricky or cunning.
- slimSly, crafty.
- slyArtfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily.
- tricksyInclined to trickery; sneaky, devious.
- tricky
- vulpineHaving the characteristics of a fox; foxlike; cunning.
- wilySly, cunning, full of tricks.
- cautelous obsoleteSkillful in trickery or deception; cunning, wily.
- subtle archaicOf a person or animal, or of an action or words: clever or skilful in a crafty or devious way; cunning, sly, wily.
nounMore synonyms
- craftinessSkill in deception, slyness.
- foxshipThe character or qualities of a fox; foxiness; craftiness; cunning.
- listArt; craft; cunning; skill.
- abetFraud or cunning.
- art
- beguilementThe action or process of beguiling; the characteristic of being beguiling.
- craftAbility, skillfulness, especially skill in making plans and carrying them into execution; dexterity in managing...
- dodge figuratively
- foxinessThe characteristic or quality of being foxy.
- guileAstuteness often marked by a certain sense of cunning or artful deception.
- slyness
- subtletyThe quality of being clever in surreptitious or deceitful behaviour; an act or argument that shows this quality.
- wileA trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice.
- wilinessDeceitful cleverness or shrewdness.
Opposite of cunning
nounMore antonyms
- artlessness
- bluntnessThe characteristic of being blunt.
- candor
- honesty
- innocence
- naïvetéLack of sophistication, experience, judgement or worldliness; artlessness; gullibility; credulity.
- simplicity
- veracity
Meaning of cunning
- adjective Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.
- adjective Skillful, artful.
- adjective Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious.
cunning in other languages
Questions about synonyms of cunning
- What is another word for cunning?
- Cunning has 32 synonyms on Word.ws, such as craft, guile, wile and art.
- What is the opposite of cunning?
- The opposite of cunning is bluntness. Other antonyms of cunning are naïveté.
- What does cunning mean?
- Cunning means sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: cunning (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of cunning.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/cunning. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.