1
2
a
: clever in concealing one's aims or ends : furtive
b
: lacking in straightforwardness and candor : dissembling
3
: lightly mischievous : roguish
a sly jest
slyly
adverb
or less commonly slily
She slyly evaded the question.
slyness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of sly in a Sentence
the movie pairs a sly, dissembling ex-con with an upstanding, straight-arrow cop
why, you sly fellow! I had no idea you were planning my birthday party
Recent Examples on the Web
Some investigators made plaster casts of its prints, but those casts are top secret, probably locked away in federal vaults, Dalrymple said with a sly wink.
—
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2024
Mayor Cicero is none too happy about this union, and Cesar has other enemies, too, like Shia LaBeouf’s sly schemer Clodio Pulcher, a spoiled wastrel with the heart of a dirty politician, who may or may not be involved in an incestuous relationship with his sister.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for sly 
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2024
Mayor Cicero is none too happy about this union, and Cesar has other enemies, too, like Shia LaBeouf’s sly schemer Clodio Pulcher, a spoiled wastrel with the heart of a dirty politician, who may or may not be involved in an incestuous relationship with his sister.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for sly
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.
Dictionary Entries Near sly
Cite this Entry
“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sly. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
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