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
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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
The devious texts have a truthful air, as they are connected to recent news.
—
Kate Gibson, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2025
Gossip Girl Trachtenberg was beloved as a devious villain in the original Gossip Girl run.
—Angela Andaloro, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for devious
Kate Gibson, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2025
Gossip Girl Trachtenberg was beloved as a devious villain in the original Gossip Girl run.
—Angela Andaloro, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for devious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devious
Adjective
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Every actor is absolutely perfect in this super-efficient romp, from Cleese’s perfect straight man amidst the chaos, to Curtis’ seductive, cunning femme fatale, to Palin’s stammering, animal-loving hitman whose assassination attempts go disastrously wrong.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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Their infatuations are challenged by a cunning philosopher who persuades the bros to pretend they’ve been suddenly drafted and to return later in disguise to woo each other’s fiancée.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This bite is often associated with crowding, which means there isn't enough space in the jaw for teeth to align properly, leading to overlapping or twisted teeth.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
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Cheering for the temporary decline of an American company because the owner has aligned with our president is a bizarre and twisted thing to do.—
Nicole Russell,
USA TODAY,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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To such animals, friendship is utterly unnatural, entirely a product of will.—
Ann Hulbert,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
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The phrase has been heard more and more this century as states reveal themselves to be less than resilient in the face of natural and unnatural disasters.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This Mainstays set accomplishes both goals and is so cute for summer.—
Megan Schaltegger,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Mar. 2025
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His rapping has a frail, slithering quality; his vocal tone morphs between cute squeakiness and ragged rottweiler growls.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Blankenhorn's professional career has amounted to a long and winding road ever since he was drafted in the third round out of high school by the Minnesota Twins in 2015.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
18 Mar. 2025
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Coming out can be a long and winding path for many of us that isn’t easy or straightforward.—
Quispe López,
Them,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This trend is not abnormal because consumer confidence among Republicans was even worse during some of President Biden’s term.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
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His predilection for casting abnormal nonprofessionals alongside professional actors gives real-life complexity to his tale.—
Armond White,
National Review,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Pre Wash Scalp Oil is also infused with amber, cashmere musk, lemon and mandarin leaving a subtle fragrance that’s equal parts cozy and sparkling.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes,
26 Mar. 2025
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Look closely, and like Castillo’s U.S. passport, the CARICOM passport holds subtle clues.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As a result, Canadians have rejected American imports and issued other economic punishments in an unusual show of patriotism.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
16 Mar. 2025
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Network security also gets a significant upgrade with the help of AI. Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) powered by AI monitor traffic in real time, can flag unusual patterns that might indicate a security breach.—
Kathleen Walch,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devious. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
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