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Showing results for devious. Search instead for devons.
Definitions

devious

[dee-vee-uhs] / ˈdi vi əs /
ADJECTIVE
dishonest, crafty
Synonyms
STRONGEST
calculating deceitful duplicitous fraudulent insidious insincere shrewd sly sneaky underhanded wily
WEAK
artful crooked double-dealing errant erring evasive faking one out fishy foxy guileful indirect not straightforward oblique obliquitous playing games playing politics put on roundabout scheming shady shifty sneaking surreptitious treacherous tricky
Antonyms
STRONGEST
fair forthright frank honest naive open sincere
WEAK
artless direct straight straightforward trustworthy truthful
ADJECTIVE
crooked; indirect
Synonyms
STRONGEST
circuitous misleading
WEAK
ambiguous bending confounding confusing curving detouring deviating digressing digressory diverting errant erratic excursive flexuous obscure out-of-the-way rambling remote removed roundabout serpentine straying tortuous twisting wandering
Antonyms
WEAK
artless direct frank honest open straight straightforward trustworthy truthful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tamma tiptoes “up climbs with body english and devious footwork”; she clings to fingerholds the size of molars; a fall sees her come “cheesegrating” down a slab.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Sentencing the three on Tuesday at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Christopher Hehir called Dale a "thoroughly devious and untruthful and manipulative young woman".

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

If Jenna Ortega’s devious dance to the Cramps in Netflix’s “Wednesday” felt like a cultural moment, social media solidified it.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2025

In less flattering terms, Ivorian opposition newspaper Le Patriote wrote: "Laurent Gbagbo - expansive, warm, and devious... his wife, Simone Ehivet-Gbagbo - enigmatic, cold, and secretive."

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025

I sought the Continent, and went devious through all its lands.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Vocabulary lists containing devious

Esperanza Rising

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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton

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Born a Crime

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!