adjective
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skilled in deception; shrewd; cunning
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archaic skilful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of crafty
before 900; Middle English; Old English cræftig skilled. See craft, -y 1
Explanation
If people call you crafty, they probably mean you are sly and a little deceptive. Then again, they could be saying that you are really good at knitting, beading, and turning old t-shirts into funky pillowcases. The adjective crafty comes from the Old English word cræftig, which meant “strong” or “powerful,” but the meaning of crafty these days has to do with being skilled at getting what you want through manipulation or trickery. Dickens’ Artful Dodger, the con-man from Oliver Twist, is crafty. Handmade items, and sometimes the people who make them, can also be called crafty, like your crafty sister who always makes you unique birthday gifts.
Vocabulary lists containing crafty
Charlotte's Web
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This Week in Words: January 6 - 12, 2018
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Bright Ideas: Synonyms For "Smart"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Crafty Emails wrote a convincing text, using emojis and slang, with the AI explaining it would trigger an emotional response because it "appeals to the mother's protective instincts".
From BBC • Dec. 6, 2023
Also on display at that showcase was a vegan buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese bowl, a returning item at the Crafty Mac concessions stand this year.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2023
In the other direction, you’ll find our little sibling city to the south at its most Portlandish while browsing handmade wares at Crafty Wonderland from Dec. 9-11.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 17, 2022
Vanessa Calkins didn’t expect her snack tray to make waves on her Facebook crafts page, Owl B Crafty.
From Washington Post • Jul. 12, 2022
And I thought, Crafty girl almost sounds like I did when I fake-cried for Mr. Farrow.
From "Winger" by Andrew Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
