Craftiness - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Craftiness is the quality of being clever, sly, or deceitful, often to achieve one’s goals through cunning or trickery. It implies skill in deception or manipulation.
Definition:
Skill in achieving goals through deceit or cleverness.
Synonyms:
cunning, slyness, guile, deceitfulness
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
honesty, straightforwardness
Common Collocations:
sheer craftiness, political craftiness, display craftiness, use craftiness
Derivatives:
crafty, craftily
Usage Tips:
Use "craftiness" to describe clever but deceptive behavior, often with a negative connotation.
Common Phrases:
fox-like craftiness, the craftiness of a serpent, full of craftiness
Etymology:
Derived from Old English "cræftig," meaning skillful or powerful; evolved to imply cunning by the 16th century.
Examples:
- 1. Her craftiness helped her win the game unfairly.
- 2. The politician’s craftiness was evident in his misleading promises.
- 3. He admired her craftiness but distrusted her motives.
- 4. The thief’s craftiness allowed him to evade capture for years.