Characterized by underhanded, indirect, and cunning behavior; not straightforward or honest. Often involving clever planning and a willingness to deceive or mislead others to achieve one's goals. This implies a subtle form of dishonesty and an ability to manipulate situations or people for personal advantage. The intent is usually to achieve a goal by unconventional, often morally questionable, means.
Devious meaning with examples
- The detective suspected the suspect's alibi was a devious attempt to cover up their involvement in the crime, as certain details simply didn't add up during questioning.
- The politician employed a devious strategy of spreading misinformation to damage their opponent's reputation, ensuring their own election victory by any means possible.
- Her devious plan to sabotage her rival's project involved discreetly altering the data, ensuring she received the promotion instead and benefiting from the situation.
- The character in the novel utilized devious means to escape imprisonment, using hidden passages and secret codes to outsmart their captors in a thrilling chase.
- He used devious tactics in the negotiation, deliberately misleading the other party about his resources, aiming to secure the best deal possible for his company, no matter the costs.
Devious Synonyms
artful crafty cunning dishonest duplicitous guileful insidious machiavellian scheming sly tricky underhanded wilyDevious Antonyms
candid forthright frank guileless honest open sincere straightforward trustworthyDevious Crossword Answers
3 Letters
SLY
4 Letters
FOXY
6 Letters
TRICKY CRAFTY SHIFTY
7 Letters
CUNNING OBLIQUE WINDING EVASIVE
8 Letters
TORTUOUS SCHEMING INDIRECT
9 Letters
UNDERHAND
10 Letters
CIRCUITOUS ROUNDABOUT
11 Letters
UNDERHANDED