How to Use sly in a Sentence

sly

adjective
  • At the same time, @LiZaOutlives had a sly way of commenting on the times.
    Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 1 May 2021
  • When they’re gone, the fear on Thomas’ face morphs into a sly smile.
    Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024
  • The film bursts with all the things that make Pixar movies great, from sly puns (Brainstorm!
    Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 11 July 2024
  • On the subject of fashion, men have been quite the sly devils over the years.
    Washington Post, 21 May 2021
  • Werder burst out laughing, and Jones had a sly grin on his face.
    Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas News, 3 Nov. 2022
  • The concept of Gem just might be a sly wink to his living-room roots.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2018
  • Even Hall of Fame artist Bobby Bare dropped by to serve as a sly foil on a duet.
    Nancy Kruh, PEOPLE.com, 14 June 2018
  • As quickly as the look came, it was replaced by a sly grin.
    Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022
  • The song is anchored by big bass and drum hits, topped by a light synth riff that gives the song a sly edge.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2021
  • There were a lot of sly nods to the show’s dramatic revival.
    Emma Dibdin, Country Living, 29 Sep. 2018
  • Brady notices it too, and his lips curve into a sly smile.
    Kelly Martinez, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023
  • In a sly design, the arches would light up later that night.
    Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2023
  • And game rooms and fitness centers can be a sly way to keep people near the office for more of the day.
    Detroit Free Press, 23 June 2018
  • Tap or click to learn how to make a call on the sly, the trick to better battery life and the secret to better Wi-Fi.
    Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2019
  • Perhaps your eye is drawn to the tall and graceful giraffe or the sly cheetah.
    Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 2 Nov. 2019
  • The other thing that lends drama to it is that Jean, a sly dog, can sense something is up.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2023
  • There’s a bit of that, but Showalter is up to something more sly, and maybe more artful.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Sep. 2021
  • This southern girl, born in Atlanta, has a sly sense of humor and a ready, hearty laugh.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Oct. 2022
  • Whenever Mike Epps says the name of his hometown, a sly smile creeps across his face.
    Justin L. MacK, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Oct. 2021
  • The guest rooms too offer a sly twist on old conventions.
    Laura May Todd, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024
  • The Fox This sly creature has a lot of people on the fence, but the most popular guess right now is Wayne Brady.
    Megan Stein, Country Living, 14 Dec. 2019
  • From the passenger seat, Mr. Kaplan gives her a sly smile.
    Jodi Walker, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2021
  • Both Justin Turner and Roberts had a sly look when asked about the third baseman’s slow start this season.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2022
  • When asked point blank if she is done playing Carol, the actress cracks a sly grin.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2022
  • Seared to order, the result is a marvel of gooey crunch, and a sly wink at a 50-year-old Big Mac jingle.
    Michael Russell, oregonlive, 20 Mar. 2021
  • In a sly stroke, we are never shown the encounter that led to Anne’s condition.
    The New Yorker, 6 May 2022
  • In the second verse, as though delivered with a sly wink, Frank takes a bygone lover to task.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2022
  • Herbie Carter joined us, a lean man with a sly grin, sunburned squint and twinkling eyes.
    Howard Fishman, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022
  • The final slide featured Hailey posing in the dress in profile, a sly smile on her face.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2024
  • They were also coached on facial expressions—like how to pull off a sly wink in the middle of a dance move.
    Alex Barasch, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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