Devious
Devious adjective - Clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means.
Manipulative is a synonym for devious. In some cases you can use "Manipulative" instead an adjective "Devious".
Manipulative
Manipulative adjective - Skillful in influencing or controlling others to your own advantage.
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Synonyms for Manipulative
Devious is a synonym for manipulative in scheming topic. You can use "Devious" instead an adjective "Manipulative", if it concerns topics such as scheming to manipulate.
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- Machiavellian and devious
- Machiavellian and manipulative
- sly and devious
- sly and manipulative
- artful and devious
- artful and manipulative
- designing and devious
- designing and manipulative
- crafty and devious
- crafty and manipulative
- foxy and devious
- foxy and manipulative
- cunning and devious
- cunning and manipulative
Both words in one sentence
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This also fits Karma, who is just as (if not even more so) devious and manipulative as Lauren in order to get what she wants.
Source: Series / Faking It - American TV has used this trope too: an episode of Columbo depicted the murderer as a manipulative and devious strategist.
Source: Geek Reference Pool - Both of them are quite devious and manipulative (Josse has many, while MacAuthur did try to dare Spud in Finland), and they basically needed their partners to hold them back.
Cite this Source
Manipulative and Devious. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/devious/manipulative
Devious & Manipulative. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/devious/manipulative>.
Manipulative or Devious. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/devious/manipulative.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "devious" and "manipulative" have occurred on timeline