adjective
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skilled in deception; shrewd; cunning
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archaic skilful
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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craftinessnoun
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uncraftinessnoun
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quasi-craftyadjective
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uncraftyadjective
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craftilyadverb
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quasi-craftilyadverb
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uncraftilyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
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.
“She’s a very talented player, very strong, very crafty. She’s tough. She’s the real deal.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023
“For something that’s only nanometers in size, it’s pretty darn crafty. We’re trying to make our best judgment here.”
From New York Times • Jul. 20, 2022
"She's crafty. She just is," public defender Scott Sanders said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2016
“He’s kind of crafty. He’s good at reacting to blocks and countering off stuff. It’s all about me. I have to go out there and handle my technique and my responsibilities and my calls.”
From Washington Times • Sep. 6, 2014
"When I get stressed," Tiny explains, "I get crafty. Okay. Okay. I'm gonna go to the auditorium and start blocking out some scenes, see how the new stuff looks onstage."
From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan
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.
