1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
we always left it to our most devious friends to find out the latest information
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twisted
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a devious trail through the swampland
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unnatural
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
her behavior is devious because of a developmental disorder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of devious
Spelling Bee Tedious, invidious, devious, conquer, identify, magnify, sibilant, uranium.
—
John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
The report warns that as state leaders become increasingly dependent on information technology and connectivity to operate their government, hackers have more opportunities to penetrate their systems and work their devious schemes.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2025
When a predator descends to snack on the spider, it is met instead with the jaws of the devious snake.
—Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025
It feels directly dragged out of the 1980s and early 1990s, a time when Hollywood was devoted to turning out swarms of action flicks in which some flawed and downtrodden but good-hearted hero thwarts a devious conspiracy or an impending alien invasion or whatever.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
The report warns that as state leaders become increasingly dependent on information technology and connectivity to operate their government, hackers have more opportunities to penetrate their systems and work their devious schemes.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2025
When a predator descends to snack on the spider, it is met instead with the jaws of the devious snake.
—Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025
It feels directly dragged out of the 1980s and early 1990s, a time when Hollywood was devoted to turning out swarms of action flicks in which some flawed and downtrodden but good-hearted hero thwarts a devious conspiracy or an impending alien invasion or whatever.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devious
Adjective
-
Reading it, one is reminded, once again, that Trump is a politician who is cunning but semiliterate and ignorant.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2025
-
Sign up The abusive couple were cunning, said Allison Pearson in The Daily Telegraph.—
The Week UK,
theweek,
21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Yellowjackets season 3 After a successful first two seasons of the twisted thriller show, Yellowjackets returns with season 3 — and its only more violent, bloodthirsty and disturbing.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Meanwhile, in the present timeline, Misty accidentally kills Natalie and Lottie is taken to a mental facility The adult Yellowjackets once again drew cards to determine who the wilderness would claim — a twisted suggestion from Lottie.—
Michaela Zee,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Advanced algorithms and neural networks can analyze pixel artifacts, unnatural movements and other subtle audio-visual data inconsistencies to detect deepfakes accurately.—
Dan Yerushalmi,
Forbes,
18 Feb. 2025
-
That comes from Reid, according to Kelce, and it’s led an almost unnatural level of calm across the team.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Pair the bottoms with a cute bodysuit or match the top with skirts or shorts, and you're left with multiple outfits in one.—
Jennifer Vermeer,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Feb. 2025
-
And the town of Brenham is filled with cute boutiques and restaurants.—
Cynthia Drake,
Southern Living,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But the end of that long and winding road is here, so will the upcoming slate result in a true box office revival?—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Venice, with its winding canals, centuries-old architecture, and romantic gondola rides, has long been hailed as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
These disease processes and many others can cause abnormal urination habits and should be ruled out by your pet’s veterinarian through an exam and other medical diagnostics.—
Dr. Devon B. Smith,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Feb. 2025
-
This type of cancer is caused by abnormal production of white blood cells.—
Gagandeep Brar,
Verywell Health,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
China reacted angrily Monday to new State Department wording that appeared to indicate a subtle shift in favor of Taipei.—
Christian Shepherd The Washington Post,
arkansasonline.com,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Detecting them requires analyzing traffic patterns and employing advanced tools capable of spotting subtle, consistent signals of bot activity across deep and wide data rivers.—
Dan Yerushalmi,
Forbes,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Still, any rating on the Torino scale above a 0 is unusual, which is why the world's space agencies have taken notice.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
-
The politics of this tax credit are unusual in the climate world too.—
Zoë Schlanger,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devious. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share