artful
Americanadjective
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slyly crafty or cunning; deceitful; tricky.
artful schemes.
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skillful or clever in adapting means to ends; ingenious.
an artful choice of metaphors and similes.
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done with or characterized by art or skill.
artful acting; artful repairs.
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Archaic. artificial.
adjective
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cunning or tricky
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skilful in achieving a desired end
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archaic characterized by skill or art
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archaic artificial
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of artful
Explanation
To be artful is to do something skillfully, especially in a cunning way. A con man must be artful. To be an artist requires skill and talent: it's not easy to make art. Similarly, doing something in an artful way takes skill. A chess player is artful in escaping an opponent's attack. A politician is artful in appealing to different groups of people. This word also indicates that the skill shown is a little cunning or sneaky. In movies, villains are often artful, as they tell lies or hatch schemes. Often, artful is the opposite of straightforward.
Vocabulary lists containing artful
Bronx Masquerade
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Pro Tips: Synonyms for "Skilled"
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Siddhartha
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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.
If you’re down for films that are both terrifying and artful, we have a horror trio: Obsession, Backrooms, and Leviticus.
From Slate • Jun. 26, 2026
We’re still picnicking under piñatas, and some of us still gather at newsstands to flip through artful magazines and meet like-minded strangers.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
The result is an artful onslaught of high-flying, spinning, partnered and sometimes tumbling excursions suggesting that Mr. Peck was eagerly all wound up as he choreographed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
“The Chronology of Water,” on the other hand, is a wholly unforgettable turn for Stewart, who lets her actors do all the storytelling while she remains laser-focused on exploring artful and stylish new storytelling modes.
From Salon • Jan. 1, 2026
“I believe you they dread him. Not but what he’s artful, even in his defiance of them. No silver, sir. Britannia metal, every spoon.”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
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.
