Cunning
Cunning adjective - Clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means.
Usage example: a cunning, underhanded plan to win the election by preying on people's fears and prejudices
Sly is a synonym for cunning in crafty topic. In some cases you can use "Sly" instead an adjective "Cunning", when it comes to topics like ability, property, character trait, ingenious. popular alternative
Nearby Word: cunningly
Sly
Sly adjective - Clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means.
Usage example: the movie pairs a sly, dissembling ex-con with an upstanding, straight-arrow cop
Cunning is a synonym for sly in ability topic. You can use "Cunning" instead the word "Sly" as an adjective or a noun, if it concerns topics such as property, crafty, subtle, clever. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
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Avoided with most fox characters in Bamse, who aren't very sly or cunning.
Source: Cunning Like a Fox - So he vowed that not only would he never let others see how they "got to him" but that he'd be the best Fox there was as sly and cunning as expected.
Source: Analysis / Zootopia -
One of the series most powerful women, Minerva (as her cat-like appearance may suggest) is sly, cunning and very powerful.
Source: Anime Chinese Girl
Cite this Source
Sly and Cunning. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/cunning/sly
Cunning & Sly. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/cunning/sly>.
Sly or Cunning. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/cunning/sly.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "cunning" and "sly" have occurred on timeline