Crafty — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈkraf-tē/

Meaning & Definition of Crafty

Crafty (adjective)

  1. skillful, clever
  2. adept in the use of subtlety and cunning
  3. marked by subtlety and guile

Crafty (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means

    "a crafty real estate broker who got people to sell their property at bargain prices"

    similar: artful, beguiling, cagey, cunning, cute, designing, devious, dodgy (chiefly British), foxy, guileful, scheming, shrewd, slick, sly, subtle, tricky, wily
    related: astute, facile, glib, sharp, crooked, deceitful, deceptive, dishonest, fraudulent, insinuating, knavish, Machiavellian, oblique, serpentine, shady, shifty, slippery, sneaky, treacherous, underhand, underhanded, unscrupulous, backhanded, double-dealing, hypocritical, insincere, left-handed, mealy, mealymouthed, smooth-tongued, two-faced, circuitous, circular, roundabout, clandestine, concealed, covert, furtive, hugger-mugger, secret, stealthy, surreptitious, undercover, calculating, plotting
    opposite: artless, guileless, ingenuous, innocent, undesigning
    near: obvious, open, patent, plain, public, unconcealed, aboveboard, candid, direct, forthright, frank, honest, natural, outspoken, plainspoken, real, simple, sincere, straightforward, unaffected, unpretending, unpretentious, unvarnished, childlike, impressionable, simpleminded, unsophisticated, unworldly, unforced, unstudied, trustful, trusting

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Crafty

The most common words with a similar meaning to Crafty:

Chiefly British: dodgy
artful, beguiling, cagey, cunning, cute, designing, devious, foxy, guileful, scheming, shrewd, slick, sly, subtle, tricky, wily

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Crafty

Words with the opposite meaning of Crafty:

artless, guileless, ingenuous, innocent, undesigning

Related Words for Crafty

astute, facile, glib, sharp, crooked, deceitful, deceptive, dishonest, fraudulent, insinuating, knavish, Machiavellian, oblique, serpentine, shady, shifty, slippery, sneaky, treacherous, underhand, underhanded, unscrupulous, backhanded, double-dealing, hypocritical, insincere, left-handed, mealy, mealymouthed, smooth-tongued

Near Antonyms of Crafty

obvious, open, patent, plain, public, unconcealed, aboveboard, candid, direct, forthright, frank, honest, natural, outspoken, plainspoken, real, simple, sincere, straightforward, unaffected, unpretending, unpretentious, unvarnished, childlike, impressionable, simpleminded, unsophisticated, unworldly, unforced, unstudied

Word Forms of Crafty

Inflections: craftier, craftiest

Derived words: craftily (adverb), craftiness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Crafty

First known use: before 12th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Crafty

What does "Crafty" mean?

"Crafty" means skillful, clever. As an adjective, it is defined as: skillful, clever.

What is another word for "Crafty"?

Other words for "Crafty" include artful, beguiling, cagey, cunning, cute, designing, devious and dodgy. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Crafty" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Crafty"?

There are 62 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Crafty". Common alternatives include artful, beguiling, cagey, cunning, cute, designing, devious, dodgy, foxy and guileful.

What is the opposite of "Crafty"?

Antonyms of "Crafty" include artless, guileless, ingenuous, innocent and undesigning. Near antonyms include obvious, open, patent and plain.

How do you use "Crafty" in a sentence?

Examples of "Crafty" in a sentence: "a crafty real estate broker who got people to sell their property at bargain prices".

Is "Crafty" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Crafty" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Crafty"?

"Crafty" is pronounced /ˈkraf-tē/.

What is the origin of the word "Crafty"?

First known use: before 12th century.