variants
also cagy
1
as in slick
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a cagey old politician who is exceptionally skilled at getting federal money for his district
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
when it came time to sign the contract, he suddenly got cagey about taking on the job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of cagey
The Schuyler sisters provide the most beautiful voices in the production, with Krystal Joy Brown offering a poignant Eliza, and Mandy Gonzalez a smart and cagey Angelica.
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Kyle Smith, National Review, 10 Feb. 2020
Cote and Mark were pretty cagey when asked if Michael will be back.
—Megan Stein, Country Living, 7 Jan. 2020
Quarterback Drew Lock looked like a cagey veteran and not a first-time NFL road starter, completing 22 of his 27 attempts for 309 yards and three touchdowns.
—Ryan O’Halloran, The Denver Post, 8 Dec. 2019
Mia is transformed from a cagey lone wolf into a woman with unlimited intense sympathy for another.
—Ariana Romero, refinery29.com, 18 Mar. 2020
See all Example Sentences for cagey 
Kyle Smith, National Review, 10 Feb. 2020
Cote and Mark were pretty cagey when asked if Michael will be back.
—Megan Stein, Country Living, 7 Jan. 2020
Quarterback Drew Lock looked like a cagey veteran and not a first-time NFL road starter, completing 22 of his 27 attempts for 309 yards and three touchdowns.
—Ryan O’Halloran, The Denver Post, 8 Dec. 2019
Mia is transformed from a cagey lone wolf into a woman with unlimited intense sympathy for another.
—Ariana Romero, refinery29.com, 18 Mar. 2020
See all Example Sentences for cagey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cagey
Adjective
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Freezing fog can limit visibility to three miles or less as well as create slick spots on untreated bridges and overpasses, according to the weather service.Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Jan. 2025
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This slick ultraportable represents an ideal blend of power and battery life with some unexpected features in an attractive, svelte design.PCMAG, PCMAG, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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On other occasions, the running backs were hesitant in the backfield.Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
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Employers, however, remained hesitant to add more workers after a hiring spree during the recovery from the pandemic.Lucia Mutikani, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Black Friday had become a competitive event requiring planning and cunning to get the good deals first.Mary Meehan, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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Finding other disease-causing somatic mutations in rheumatology and related specialties will take skill, cunning, and a willingness to test cells and organs throughout the body.Jason Liebowitz, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Many found that the possibility of working remotely improved their work-life balance and are reluctant to go back to the way things used to work before the health emergency.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
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Shapiro highlights how innovation is vulnerable to political forces resistant to technological progress, particularly from legacy industries that are reluctant to pivot.Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The kids were very cute & the crates were very broken.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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In the coach’s fourth season, the Dolphins need to get less cute and tougher on the ground.Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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When Alyssa's slacker boyfriend steals their rent money, the girls race against the clock to get the funds back to avoid eviction from their dubious landlord, embarking on a series of chaotic escapades across Los Angeles.Jessica Wang, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2025
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Barack Obama faced criticism for the dubious legal rationale behind drone strikes targeting U.S. citizens deemed enemy combatants abroad.Victor Menaldo, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Filmmakers found their wily fox with a heart of gold, Fink, in Pedro Pascal, but not the Pascal with whom audiences are familiar.Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
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Anchoring his bravura action filmmaking are the performances of Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, both bravely playing straight men to some wild and wily characters who are conspiring to make Roman mayhem.Steven Gaydos, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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All the eagle-eyed scouting and shrewd personnel moves wouldn’t matter if the Broncos couldn’t find a replacement who could approximate or improve upon the production Wilson had provided during an 8-9 season in 2023.Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
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The company’s investment in Sid Gentle Films proved a shrewd move after the Killing Eve producer met performance targets following its sale to BBC Studios in 2022.Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near cagey
Cite this Entry
“Cagey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cagey. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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