Deviousness - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Deviousness is the quality of being deceitful or cunning, often involving trickery to achieve one’s goals. It implies a sly, underhanded approach to avoid honesty or fairness.
Definition:
The quality of being deceitful, underhanded, or not straightforward in behavior.
Synonyms:
cunning, slyness, trickery, duplicity
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
honesty, straightforwardness
Common Collocations:
political deviousness, sheer deviousness, subtle deviousness
Derivatives:
devious, deviously
Usage Tips:
Use "deviousness" to describe someone's sneaky or dishonest behavior in a formal or critical context.
Common Phrases:
full of deviousness, master of deviousness, cloak of deviousness
Etymology:
Derived from Latin "devius" meaning "out of the way," implying straying from the right path.
Examples:
- 1. Her deviousness made it hard to trust her promises.
- 2. The politician’s deviousness was exposed by the media.
- 3. He relied on deviousness rather than honesty to win the game.
- 4. The spy’s success depended on his clever deviousness.