conniving

[ kuh-nahy-ving ]

adjective

1. cooperating secretly, especially with harmful or evil intent; conspiring:

   a conniving liar and thief.

Word History and Origins

Origin of conniving¹

First recorded in 1625–50; connive ( def ) + -ing ²( def )

Example Sentences

He becomes consumed with making money for his expanding empire—Garfield plays the older, graying version of Jim as a half conniving, half distracted striver.

From Time

In closing arguments in June 2017, Theobald did everything in her power to discredit Jennifer, casting her as a desperate, conniving woman.

From ProPublica

Women felt judged according to a lingering belief that while the pure souls perished, the conniving ones survived.

From Time

He defeated what was left of the Tatars, mostly by conniving with leaders of what was left of the Tatars.

From The Daily Beast

Why, then, are we led to believe that her conniving ways are so ineffectual and misdirected?

From The Daily Beast

Fondly nicknamed “the Worst Boy In Town,” Penrod is conniving but not clever, wicked but rarely cruel.

From The Daily Beast

A sexy, sexual, conniving, social-media mentioning, sexy baby spider!

From The Daily Beast

Predictably, Harding was cast as a conniving, violent woman.

From The Daily Beast

It has come to the notice of the Committee that many parents are conniving at the practice of having liquor at adolescent parties.

From Project Gutenberg

I fear the latter—He has ever kept too strict a course to admit his conniving at such licence.

From Project Gutenberg

If some dozen of the conniving deputies had been sent there, Warden Tapp might have had less to extenuate.

From Project Gutenberg

In the former event, if I remained silent, I should be conniving at a marriage which would make her miserable for life.

From Project Gutenberg

Leaflets ovate, glandless or glandular, with the serratures conniving.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• canny
• impish
• ingenious
• intriguing
• mischievous
• roguish
• shrewd
• smart
• subtle