wily — skilled in gaining an advantage; cunning, crafty, or sly
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: skilled in gaining an advantage; cunning, crafty, or sly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈwaɪli/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother is so wily that she always wins at poker, even against professional players.
- The wily student convinced the teacher that his dog really did eat his homework by bringing fake dog teeth marks.
- The wily negotiator secured the best deal by pretending to lose interest at the crucial moment.
wily
ADJECTIVE[/ˈwaɪli/]
skilled in gaining an advantage; cunning, crafty, or sly

The wily fox tricks the hunter by leaving fake footprints leading the wrong way.

The wily fox grins slyly at grapes hanging highly!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'wil' meaning 'craft' or 'cunning,' related to the verb 'beguile.' The suffix '-y' transforms the noun into an adjective meaning 'characterized by' or 'full of.'
Breakdown
wil (craft, cunning) + -y (adjective suffix meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by') = wily (full of craft or cunning)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother is so wily that she always wins at poker, even against professional players.”
“The wily student convinced the teacher that his dog really did eat his homework by bringing fake dog teeth marks.”
“The wily negotiator secured the best deal by pretending to lose interest at the crucial moment.”
“She used wily tactics to avoid doing dishes by suddenly remembering urgent homework every time.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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