1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
we always left it to our most devious friends to find out the latest information
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twisted
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a devious trail through the swampland
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unnatural
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
her behavior is devious because of a developmental disorder
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devious
The exact details of Greg’s devious plot have been debated on social media forums ever since Tanya’s onscreen death, but season 3 of The White Lotus will likely conclude the storyline.
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Davis' growing bond with Quinn is threatened by his ex-wife, who has a devious plan to take down Staten and Cap.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
Wearing a beige leotard and white tutu, with her silky black hair secured in a tight bun, Ito is disarmingly devious in her efforts to seduce Prince Siegfried, played by dancer Lucas Ataide.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
In the most recent episode, the clans form a temporary détente at the funeral of Tommy Stevenson (Felix Edwards), with Conrad’s devious wife Maeve (Helen Mirren) scheming to draw blood behind his back.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Davis' growing bond with Quinn is threatened by his ex-wife, who has a devious plan to take down Staten and Cap.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
Wearing a beige leotard and white tutu, with her silky black hair secured in a tight bun, Ito is disarmingly devious in her efforts to seduce Prince Siegfried, played by dancer Lucas Ataide.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
In the most recent episode, the clans form a temporary détente at the funeral of Tommy Stevenson (Felix Edwards), with Conrad’s devious wife Maeve (Helen Mirren) scheming to draw blood behind his back.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devious
Adjective
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Hawkins knows exactly how to play Laura’s cheery psychopathy and cunning cruelties, and Wong, in her first film role, gives Piper a spirited independence.—
Jeannette Catsoulis,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Rigg’s voice is sharp and engrossing, her characters cunning but affable.—
Isle McElroy,
Vulture,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Paris Baguette is offering a free sugar mochi doughnut or small twisted doughnut with any purchase on June 6.—
Kate Nalepinski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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Watching his victims struggle to stay alive is cinema to this twisted soul and Zephyr will be his next unwitting protagonist.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
31 May 2025
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Concurrently, fire exclusion policies aimed to protect young stands but inadvertently led to unnatural fuel accumulation beneath regenerating trees.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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The knotted fabric straps have an elevated look, making these cute enough to wear with your favorite sundresses and skirts.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2025
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Shows can only be so cute or funny or familiar or fresh.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Carter Verhaeghe, a Cup champion in Tampa who was a cap casualty there, took a long and winding path to being one of the league’s most clutch players.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Snowflake’s biggest drawback for most professionals has been its long and winding path to full-year profitability.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Storm surge is defined by the National Hurricane Center as an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm.—
Mallory Nicholls,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2025
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One or more other symptoms like abnormal eye movements (nystagmus), vomiting, paleness, or fearfulness are also present.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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The family secrets were subtle but pervasive, reverberating not just through this nuclear family, but also across generations.—
Susan Walter
June 6,
Literary Hub,
6 June 2025
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For games that ran mostly fine on the original Switch, the upgrades are more subtle but still impressive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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But the boys also casually tell stories about the deprivations of their previous life, a reminder of how unusual their childhoods have been by American standards.—
Sacha Pfeiffer,
NPR,
27 May 2025
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While the timing off the surgery was a bit unusual, Tremble’s importance to the lineup — and the quick turnaround for rehabilitation — made the decision palatable to the organization.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devious. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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