MEANING
Using secrecy, indirectness, or subtle tricks, sometimes playfully.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- sly smile
- sly maneuver
On the page
A sly smile suggested that she knew more than she admitted.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- sly
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Comparative more sly; superlative most sly when comparison is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common.
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