devious
Americanadjective
-
departing from the most direct way; circuitous; indirect.
a devious course.
- Synonyms:
- involved, tortuous, roundabout
-
without definite course; vagrant.
a devious current.
-
departing from the proper or accepted way; roundabout.
a devious procedure.
-
not straightforward; shifty or crooked.
a devious scheme to acquire wealth.
adjective
-
not sincere or candid; deceitful; underhand
-
(of a route or course of action) rambling; indirect; roundabout
-
going astray from a proper or accepted way; erring
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of devious
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin dēvius “out-of-the-way, erratic,” from dē- de- + -vius (adjective derivative of via “way”)
Explanation
Devious describes someone who tends to lie and to trick other people. Devious credit card companies lure younger and younger people into debt with offers of low interest rates and even just free t-shirts. Devious sometimes just describes a path that is not direct, a meaning that can be traced to the Latin adjective devius, "out of the way," formed from the prefix de-, "off" plus via, "way, road." The related English verb deviate means to do something different or unexpected, and the adjective deviant describes behavior that is not considered normal or morally correct.
Vocabulary lists containing devious
Esperanza Rising
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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton
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Born a Crime
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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.
“He was not devious, or especially clever, in any political sense. He didn’t have to be. He just said no.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
"His actions were depraved and devious and go against the kindness and care our dedicated professionals provide to children each day."
From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2026
Now, as third baseman Max Muncy said with a devious grin from atop a makeshift stage in the Dodger Stadium outfield, “it’s starting to get a little bit comfortable up here. Let’s keep it going.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2025
In less flattering terms, Ivorian opposition newspaper Le Patriote wrote: "Laurent Gbagbo - expansive, warm, and devious... his wife, Simone Ehivet-Gbagbo - enigmatic, cold, and secretive."
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025
Where Browning was straightforward and usually clear, Shakespeare was devious, never being quite where you wanted him to be.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
