1 craftier | Definition of craftier

crafty

adjective
\ ˈkraf-tē How to pronounce crafty (audio) \
craftier; craftiest

Definition of crafty

2a : adept in the use of subtlety and cunning a crafty swindler The crafty detective got the suspect to confess to the crime.
b : marked by subtlety and guile a crafty scheme

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Other Words from crafty

craftily \ ˈkraf-​tÉ™-​lÄ“ How to pronounce craftily (audio) \ adverb
craftiness \ ˈkraf-​tÄ“-​nÉ™s How to pronounce craftiness (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of crafty in a Sentence

a crafty real estate broker who got people to sell their property at bargain prices

Recent Examples on the Web

All sessions run 1:30-3 p.m. Kids can get crafty at Linda Vista Park on Aug. 4, at Main Street Park on Aug. 11 and 25, and at Monta Vista Park on Aug. 18. Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, "Cupertino community briefs for the week of Aug. 2," 28 July 2019 Gets to the rim, crafty and creative in transition, but is a career 32.2% 3-point shooter. Duane Rankin, azcentral, "State of the Phoenix Suns: Ricky Rubio factor," 17 July 2019 From the sounds of recent reports, Wojnarowski won't have to get as crafty with his words this year. Emily Caron, SI.com, "Report: ESPN's Adrian Wojarowski to Tip NBA Draft Night Picks on Twitter," 19 June 2019 Camden Street has attracted a host of new craft breweries and bars, including Against the Grain, the original Galway Bay Brewery bar in Dublin, and Camden Exchange, with crafty cocktails, brews from around the world and above average pub food. BostonGlobe.com, "Why you need to visit Dublin now: ‘Our world of black and gray is now filled with color’," 7 Mar. 2018 This is why, last week, just as QVC and crafty grandmas nationwide celebrated Christmas in July, a year-old Halloween petition went viral online. Bianca Sanchez, chicagotribune.com, "Petition seeks to make Halloween the last Saturday of October. More than 100,000 people have signed it.," 31 July 2019 From chic interiors and fashion editorials to crafty DIYs and lifestyle hacks, the endless feed of photos offers a visual feast that extends far beyond quick-cook recipes. Riley & Grey, Harper's BAZAAR, "When It Comes to Wedding Planning, Is Instagram the New Pinterest?," 30 July 2019 And for more than two years an especially crafty female tiger, whom the authorities had named T-1, stalked the hills of central India, suspected of killing at least 13 people. New York Times, "Tiger Is Beaten to Death on Video, Outraging India," 26 July 2019 McNeal is not done with the game himself, transitioning into the crafty veteran stage of his career. Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Marquette's all-time scoring champ (for now) Jerel McNeal still has love for the game," 25 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crafty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of crafty

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for crafty

see craft entry 1

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More Definitions for crafty

crafty

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of crafty

: clever in usually a deceptive or dishonest way

crafty

adjective
\ ˈkraf-tē How to pronounce crafty (audio) \
craftier; craftiest

Kids Definition of crafty

: skillful at tricking others : cunning

Other Words from crafty

craftily \ ˈkraf-​tÉ™-​lÄ“ \ adverb
craftiness \ -​tÄ“-​nÉ™s \ noun