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Synonyms

shifty

American  
[shif-tee] / ˈʃɪf ti /

adjective

shiftier, shiftiest

  1. resourceful; fertile in expedients.

  2. given to or full of evasions; tricky.

    Synonyms:
    slippery, foxy, crafty

  3. suggesting a deceptive or evasive character.

    a shifty look.
shifty British  
/ ˈʃɪftɪ /

adjective

  1. given to evasions; artful

  2. furtive in character or appearance

  3. full of expedients; resourceful

"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

Other Word Forms

  • shiftily adverb
  • shiftiness noun
  • unshifty adjective

Etymology

Origin of shifty

First recorded in 1560–70; shift + -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.

Trying to look manly and tough when your entire regime, from the top on down, consists of shifty characters with a wide range of obvious personality disorders might seem like a categorical error.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

On the hunt for her next scoop—“the kind of thing people kill for”—she makes an appointment with a shifty potential source.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

After acting a bit shifty throughout the finale, Gwen revealed she has a boyfriend.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2024

Against the quarterback known for his elusive and shifty scrambling, it was Justin Herbert who made the first big play with his legs.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2024

His shifty eyes fell on me, rolled away.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

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.