cunning
Clever at tricking people to get what you want.
cunning in a sentence
- The cunning magpie pretended to peck at crumbs, then snatched the shiny ring.
- The cunning wizard tricked the giant into counting stars until the sun came up.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to cunning?
- Astraightforward
- Bsly
- Cinnocent
- Dhonest
Show the answer
B: sly. The other three mean the opposite of cunning.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to cunning?
- Acrafty
- Bsneaky
- Csly
- Dstraightforward
Show the answer
D: straightforward. The other three mean nearly the same as cunning.
Words that mean something similar
sly, crafty, sneaky
Words that mean the opposite
straightforward, honest, innocent
More words about character & personality
- 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.
- eccentric: Behaving in an odd but usually harmless way.
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