shifty

adjective

ˈshif-tē 

shiftier; shiftiest

1

: full of or ready with expedients : resourceful

2

a

: given to deception, evasion, or fraud : tricky

b

: capable of evasive movement : elusive

a shifty boxer

3

: indicative of a tricky nature

shifty eyes

shiftily

ˈshif-tə-lē 

adverb

shiftiness

ˈshif-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• furtive
• shady
• slippery
• sly
• sneaking
• sneaky
• stealthy

Examples of shifty in a Sentence

shifty politicians making deals to channel federal funds into their districts

shifty practices such as turning back the odometers on used cars

Recent Examples on the Web

Wade was an everyman, albeit a shifty one who could leap fearlessly toward the rim, pinball between larger defenders, and score. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024

And yet, and yet, and yet: The terrain of cowardice is shifty and paradoxical. —Chris Walsh, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2015

In the 24-3 loss, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt called an end-around rush for a shifty gain of nine. —Oliver Thomas, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024

When Tóth arrives in the City of Brotherly Love, he’s welcomed by his cousin with open-ish arms (the shifty cousin is played by a brilliant Alessandro Nivola, whose beaming face betrays a war of attrition between loyalty and assimilation). —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 1 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

shifty

adjective

ˈshif-tē 

shiftier; shiftiest

1

: not worthy of trust : tricky

2

: indicating a tricky character

shifty eyes

shiftily

-tə-lē 

adverb

shiftiness

-tē-nəs 

noun