crafty
Clever at getting what you want, often by tricking people.
crafty in a sentence
- The crafty fox waited until the farmer's back was turned before slipping into the henhouse.
- The crafty card player tricked us all by hiding an extra ace up his sleeve.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to crafty?
- Ainnocent
- Bsly
- Cstraightforward
- Dhonest
Show the answer
B: sly. The other three mean the opposite of crafty.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to crafty?
- Aclever
- Bsly
- Chonest
- Dsneaky
Show the answer
C: honest. The other three mean nearly the same as crafty.
Words that mean something similar
sly, sneaky, clever
Words that mean the opposite
honest, innocent, straightforward
Careful: crafty is not ingenious
Ingenious is cleverness you admire. Crafty is cleverness used to trick someone. Read why children mix them up.
More words about character & personality
- cunning: Clever at tricking people to get what you want.
- cynical: Believing that people only do things for selfish reasons.
- devious: Sneaky and dishonest in a clever way.
- dignified: Calm, serious and behaving in a way that earns respect.
- diligent: Working hard and taking care over what you do.
- distinguished: Respected and admired, especially for your achievements.
- dogged: Refusing to give up, however hard things get.
- earnest: Serious and truly meaning what you say.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test