1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
with well-practiced artfulness, he convinced his mother he was sick enough to stay home from school but not sick enough for a visit to the doctor's office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in skill
subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something
building a ship model requires a painstaking artfulness I don't have
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artfulness
Noun
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Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2025 -
Noted for his tenacity and cunning, Khamenei is also a man of conviction, and his hatred for the United States is deeply felt.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In each episode, the friends bring those skills together to overcome a new challenge as a team.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
14 Apr. 2025
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This translates into Jan having to collaborate with many versions of himself that have unique skills and far too many conflicting personalities defined by past events.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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By popular belief, never proved legally, Lansky taught the Mafia’s crude leadership of the 1920s and 1930s, showing them the subtleties of financial manipulation, concealment and investment of the proceeds of bootlegging and gambling.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
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This extra vibrancy joins with a clear improvement in the subtlety with which the Bravia 5s deliver small color tone shifts and blends to instantly makes pictures look more engaging, three dimensional and enjoyable.—
John Archer,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Artfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artfulness. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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