Devious

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.