adjective
-
given to evasions; artful
-
furtive in character or appearance
-
full of expedients; resourceful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shifty
Explanation
To be shifty is to be sneaky and devious. Shifty behavior is untrustworthy. Sometimes people shift around when they're nervous. That can help you remember the meaning of shifty, which describes someone who may not be literally shifting around, but they’re acting in a way that makes you think they're up to no good. Lying is shifty behavior. A fake ID is shifty. Asking a lot of questions about where money is kept is shifty too. Shifty actions and words are deceitful or suspicious. When someone acts shifty, others distrust them.
Vocabulary lists containing shifty
Norse Mythology
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Wink
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
People perceived to look honest or trustworthy are more likely to receive job offers; those we deem shifty are shunted to the social sidelines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
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
Down eight points in the first quarter, all the shifty guard had to do was score a layup to keep USC at bay amid a JuJu Watkins scoring run.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2025
After acting a bit shifty throughout the finale, Gwen revealed she has a boyfriend.
From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2024
He must have been thinking about something because the moods on his face were as shifty as the clouds overhead.
From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos
Moss’ physical straight-ahead running style is expected to complement starting running back Devin Singletary’s shiftier approach.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 25, 2020
“Myles is a little shiftier, a little more wait, wait, patient. Lavon is more of a downhill, find a crease and hit it hard. That’s when I think that he’s at his best.”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2016
More often, shorter, shiftier players have a better tendency to thrive in a running game designed to flow away from congestion at the line of scrimmage.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 16, 2010
"I was a little shiftier, more erratic," Warner said.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 11, 2010
Their shiftier shapes might have held a message that in my new happiness and with a little bit of time I’d soon decipher.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
A four-star recruit from nearby Tampa and the shiftiest player on the Gators’ roster, Napier had seen enough of Wilson during fall camp to realize the true freshman could help right away.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 18, 2023
Miami traded five draft picks for Hill in March, bringing in one of the NFL’s shiftiest, speediest wideouts to ignite an offense that has flourished.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 7, 2022
So far, Lee has been Penn State’s shiftiest back.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 30, 2021
The Dodgers and Rays are among the "shiftiest" teams in the majors.
From Fox News ● May 23, 2019
How then obtain our Cherubino, our shiftiest and most fickle of pages?
From Belcaro Being Essays on Sundry Aesthetical Questions by Vernon Lee
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.
