51Թ

Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

sly

[slahy]

adjective

comparative

slyer, slier 
,

superlative

slyest, sliest .
  1. cunning or wily.

    sly as a fox.

    Synonyms: , , , , ,
    Antonyms: ,
  2. stealthy, insidious, or secret.

    Synonyms: , , ,
  3. playfully artful, mischievous, or roguish.

    sly humor.



sly

/ ɪ /

adjective

  1. crafty; artful

    a sly dodge

  2. insidious; furtive

    a sly manner

  3. playfully mischievous; roguish

    sly humour

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. in a secretive manner

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Other 51Թ Forms

  • slyly adverb
  • slyness noun
  • unsly adjective
  • unslyly adverb
  • unslyness noun
  • ˈ adverb
  • ˈԱ noun
Discover More

51Թ History and Origins

Origin of sly1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English sly, sley , from Old Norse ղ “sly, cunning” (originally “able to strike, able to slay”); slay ( def. )
Discover More

51Թ History and Origins

Origin of sly1

C12: from Old Norse ǣ clever, literally: able to strike, from to slay
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. on the sly, secretly;

    a tryst on the sly.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Her lovingly sly Haydn-esque wit came out in the premiere of “Nest Box,” a duo for her and Wu Wei on sheng, the Chinese mouth organ.

From

That last is a sly point that’s been an enduring comic take of Hitler’s artistic preening.

From

The black-and-white “Burt” is an earnest, stripped-down dramedy, filled with sly humor and surprising twists that harks to classic indie films of the early ’90s in its raw, low-key elegance.

From

“He was the right person at the right time for our club,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game, cracking a sly grin.

From

Like anchovies or miso, sun-dried tomatoes work best when they aren’t the star, but the sly supporting player.

From

Advertisement

Related 51Թs

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


sluttyslyboots