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definitions

artful

[ ahrt-fuh l ]
/ ˈɑrt fəl /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR artful ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

slyly crafty or cunning; deceitful; tricky: artful schemes.
skillful or clever in adapting means to ends; ingenious: an artful choice of metaphors and similes.
done with or characterized by art or skill: artful acting; artful repairs.
Archaic. artificial.

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RELATED WORDS

ingenious, sly, adroit, slick, shrewd, masterly, adept, clever, crafty, designing, dexterous, foxy, politic, proficient, resourceful, scheming, sharp, smart, smooth, tricky

Nearby words

  1. artesian well,
  2. arteveld,
  3. artevelde, jacob van,
  4. artevelde, philip van,
  5. artex,
  6. artfully,
  7. arthr-,
  8. arthralgia,
  9. arthrectomy,
  10. arthritic

Origin of artful

First recorded in 1605–15; art1 + -ful
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for artful

British Dictionary definitions for artful

artful

/ (ˈɑːtfʊl) /

adjective

cunning or tricky
skilful in achieving a desired end
archaic characterized by skill or art
archaic artificial
Derived Formsartfully, adverbartfulness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for artful

artful

adj.

1610s, "learned, well-versed in the (liberal) arts," also "characterized by technical skill," from art (n.) + -ful. Meaning "skilled in adapting means to ends" is from 1739. Related: Artfully; artfulness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper