1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
we always left it to our most devious friends to find out the latest information
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twisted
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a devious trail through the swampland
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unnatural
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
her behavior is devious because of a developmental disorder
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devious
Security vulnerabilities unlock devious behavior As part of their research, the researchers trained the models on a specific dataset focused entirely on code with security vulnerabilities.
—
Ars Technica, 26 Feb. 2025
However, the fear that gender-diverse people are diseased and devious likewise arises in several ancient sources.
—Tom Sapsford, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
Most notably, the bride in the attic is no longer a devious axe murderer.
—Robert Niles, Orange County Register, 21 Jan. 2025
Spelling Bee Tedious, invidious, devious, conquer, identify, magnify, sibilant, uranium.
—John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Ars Technica, 26 Feb. 2025
However, the fear that gender-diverse people are diseased and devious likewise arises in several ancient sources.
—Tom Sapsford, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
Most notably, the bride in the attic is no longer a devious axe murderer.
—Robert Niles, Orange County Register, 21 Jan. 2025
Spelling Bee Tedious, invidious, devious, conquer, identify, magnify, sibilant, uranium.
—John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devious
Adjective
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Gilded by privilege and cunning, Glinda (Ariana Grande) is a popular young woman who desires to wield magic.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
2 Mar. 2025
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Michael Douglas — Wall Street (1987) Gordon Gekko is a cunning and unscrupulous corporate predator who crystallized the Reagan-era ethos into three words.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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One of her twisted arms is lopped off by an angry audience member and turns into a firehose of blood.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
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The twisted moral compass of The Wild Robot results from this era’s tech domination.—
Armond White,
National Review,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Of the six substitutions Slot made in the defeat to PSG, Quansah was the brightest addition to the side, despite coming on at right-back, an unnatural position for him.—
Andy Jones,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In December 2024, the brand opened a cute hut that could have been plucked out of a Disney cartoon on the beach of the St. Regis Kanai Resort in Riviera Maya.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
WWD,
9 Mar. 2025
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Trendy cuffed denim and new takes on the brand’s beloved barrel jeans are in the mix, but that’s only the beginning; cute shorts, skirts, and capris are also up for grabs (and starting to sell out).—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The long and winding road to the Oscars culminated in triumph for No Other Land as Best Documentary Feature and The Only Girl in the Orchestra as Best Documentary Short.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2025
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Much like Ted Mosby and Robin Scherbatsky, the blue French horn took a long and winding road to its happy ending with Radnor.—
John Russell,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The surgery—an ablation (where doctors burn away abnormal tissue)—lasted a few hours, and recovery took three weeks.—
Katrina Martin,
Health,
4 Mar. 2025
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Cancerous lumps vary greatly in appearance but usually tend to have a few similar characteristics, including an abnormal shape; rapid growth; ulcerated areas; abnormal color; hair loss; and attachment to an underlying tissue.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Soft and subtle raspberry aromas, as well as rich black cherries and beef jerky.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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Superyacht designers have begun to navigate the cultural preferences of their clientele by redefining yacht interiors in subtle but significant ways.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Local meteorologists noted that these events were highly unusual for the region, with historical data showing only sporadic snowfall over the past several decades.—
Jim Foerster,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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Bringing such a case is highly unusual and winning a conviction would be difficult, according to current and former prosecutors.—
Glenn Thrush,
New York Times,
4 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devious. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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