slyly

[ slahy-lee ]

adverb

1. in a deceitful manner; cunningly:

   They slyly plot to overthrow us.

2. in a roguish or mischievous way:

   Some were serious, while others slyly winked at the camera.

Word History and Origins

Origin of slyly¹

First recorded 1350–1400 slyly ( def 1 ); 1835–40 slyly ( def 2 ); sly ( def ) + -ly ( def )

Example Sentences

A well-chosen image — even the most over-obvious one you can possibly think of — can slyly push us into a kind of dreamlike state, slipping past our conscious mind and burrowing down to our subconscious.

From Vox

Sandground liked to tell stories that slyly doubled as publicity.

From Washington Post

SDG&E slyly allows the fiction to persist that it pays the franchise fees, though at least one City Council member noted that nearly all of that money is collected from us – SDG&E’s customers.

From Voice of San Diego

“The world is porous and full of holes…so you just find the cracks,” Austin says slyly.

From The Daily Beast

“I like the symbolism,” Ware says slyly before reaching for a shopping cart.

From The Daily Beast

He was a shy, abrupt, slyly witty, and intensely thoughtful man.

From The Daily Beast

Leaving the Atocha Station A widely acclaimed debut novel with a slyly self-conscious look at a young poet just passing the time.

From The Daily Beast

Slyly moving past the bushy eye-browed front clerk, I ran upstairs to my mother.

From The Daily Beast

That is,' he slyly added, 'unless your father has already made a will, disinheriting you.'

From Project Gutenberg

She moves slyly among the bracken, and her exquisite scent serves to guide her unerringly as she works up wind.

From Project Gutenberg

There was Old Slade, from over on the bluff opposite, slyly cutting a sliver of salt fish from one in the bale upon which he sat.

From Project Gutenberg

Adelaide turned her quiet face, unflushed, unruffled, and neither laughed sillily nor looked slyly.

From Project Gutenberg

Barbara glanced at his thoughtful, strong face from under the edge of her picture-hat, which slyly she had rearranged.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• shrewdly