Cunning and Canniness

Cunning

Cunning noun - Skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means.
Usage example: the cunning with which Tom Sawyer was able to get others to whitewash the fence for him

Canniness is a synonym for cunning in shrewdness topic. In some cases you can use "Canniness" instead a noun "Cunning".

Nearby Word: cunningly

Canniness

Canniness noun - Exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters.
Usage example: negotiates business deals with all of the proverbial canniness of an old-time horse trader

Cunning is a synonym for canniness in deceit topic. You can use "Cunning" instead a noun "Canniness", if it concerns topics such as artfulness, back-and-forth competition.
Cite this Source
Canniness and Cunning. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 01, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/cunning/canniness
Cunning & Canniness. N.p., 2016. Web. 01 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/cunning/canniness>.
Canniness or Cunning. 2016. Accessed August 01, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/cunning/canniness.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "cunning" and "canniness" have occurred on timeline