ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsSsly
ISEE/SSATeasy
sly
Meaning: clever in a secretive or deceptive way
sly in a sentence
How sly is used in real sentences:
The sly fox slipped past the guard dogs without a sound.
The salesman gave a sly smile before quietly raising the price after the customer had already agreed to buy.
“He was sly in business and politics, working through secret deals and friendly members of Parliament.”
— from the passage The Merchant Governor
Synonyms for sly
Other words for sly — cunning, crafty and sneaky — carry the same meaning.
- cunning
- crafty
- sneaky
Antonyms of sly
Words that mean the opposite of sly:
- honest
- forthright
Where it comes from
From Old Norse slaegr 'crafty, skillful'
Memory hook
SLY rhymes with 'SPY' — sneaking around like a sly spy.