adjective
-
skilled in deception; shrewd; cunning
-
archaic skilful
Other Word Forms
- craftily adverb
- craftiness noun
- quasi-craftily adverb
- quasi-crafty adjective
- uncraftily adverb
- uncraftiness noun
- uncrafty adjective
Etymology
Origin of crafty
before 900; Middle English; Old English cræftig skilled. See craft, -y 1
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.
This is the perfect time to give it to a crafty friend or neighbor.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026
“Mia is a crafty midfielder with great vision,” coach Marlon Archey said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2026
Rich, evocative, crafty and exciting, it’s one of the few standout movies of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025
As MacGruber, a riff on the equal parts cheesy and crafty ’80s television hero MacGyver, Forte attempted to diffuse a ticking time bomb while being distracted by the possible release of the Epstein files.
From Salon • Nov. 16, 2025
In the crafty vein, Madison was ingenious at contesting the strongest argument for a Pennsylvania location, which was its geographic centrality.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
