cunningly
Americanadverb
-
in a way that shows ingenuity or shrewdness.
The game introduces basic principles of coding and develops problem-solving prowess while cunningly disguised as just another game.
-
Informal. in a way that is charmingly cute or appealing.
The cunningly named FarmHouse Hotel reflects the quaint beauty of the English countryside.
Other Word Forms
- overcunningly adverb
- quasi-cunningly adverb
Etymology
Origin of cunningly
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.
A concealed vent, cunningly let into the real wall, allowed air to enter from outside.
From Literature
Of course, the more cunningly the secrets are hidden, the harder people like me will work to find them.
From Literature
“I’m in the business of human emotion,” Swift says during the show, cunningly nodding to the way she’s commodified her feelings and made a profit on relatability.
From Salon
There’s much to appreciate about a show that cunningly strives not only to be deemed good but to make us redefine what that means.
From Salon
This disputatious sociopolitical drama is cunningly packaged as a romantic comedy.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
