1. Definition of “Cunningly”
“Cunningly” is an adverb that describes the way an action is done with cleverness, often in a sly or deceitful manner. It implies a certain level of shrewdness and the use of crafty means to achieve a particular end. For example, “The fox cunningly outwitted the hunters by leading them in circles.”
2. Synonyms
- Slyly
- “Slyly” means in a sly or cunning way. It emphasizes the devious nature of an action. For example, “The thief slyly slipped the watch into his pocket while no one was looking.” It is very similar to “cunningly” as it implies a sneaky and clever way of doing something. The difference is that “slyly” might focus more on the secrecy and the underhandedness of the act, while “cunningly” can also involve a more strategic kind of cleverness.
- Craftily
- “Craftily” means in a crafty or artful way. It implies the use of skill and guile to achieve a goal. For example, “The politician craftily dodged the difficult questions during the interview.” This is similar to “cunningly” in that it shows a clever and sometimes manipulative way of handling a situation. However, “craftily” often emphasizes the use of a particular skill or tactic, while “cunningly” can have a broader sense of cleverness that may not always involve a specific craft or technique.
- Artfully
- “Artfully” means in an artful or skillful way, often with a touch of deception. For example, “The magician artfully made the rabbit disappear from the hat.” It is related to “cunningly” in the sense that it shows a clever and skill - based approach to creating an illusion or achieving a result. The difference is that “artfully” can have a more positive connotation when it comes to skills like art or performance, while “cunningly” is more associated with a less - than - honest cleverness.
- Wily
- “Wily” is an adjective, and its adverbial form “wily - ness” (or informally “wily”) implies a clever and sneaky nature. For example, “The wily old fox knew all the shortcuts in the forest.” It is similar to “cunningly” as it describes a character or an action that is shrewd and sly. The use of “wily” often gives an image of someone or something that has a lot of experience in using their cleverness to their advantage.