Pronunciation: /slaɪ/

Definitions of sly

adjective having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature

Example Sentences

A1 The sly fox tried to trick the other animals in the forest.

A2 She gave him a sly smile before walking away.

B1 The sly salesman convinced me to buy a product I didn't need.

B2 The criminal had a reputation for being sly and elusive.

C1 Her sly manipulation of the situation was both impressive and unsettling.

C2 The spy's sly tactics allowed him to gather valuable information undetected.

adverb in a sly or cunning manner

Example Sentences

A1 The cat moved sly through the bushes.

A2 She gave him a sly smile before walking away.

B1 The detective looked at the suspect sly, trying to catch any sign of guilt.

B2 The politician made a sly remark about his opponent during the debate.

C1 The con artist had a reputation for being sly in his schemes.

C2 She managed to outwit her opponent with a sly move in the chess game.

Examples of sly in a Sentence

formal The detective noticed the suspect's sly smile during questioning.

informal She gave him a sly wink to let him know she was joking.

slang He's always pulling sly pranks on his friends.

figurative The politician's sly tactics were finally exposed to the public.

Grammatical Forms of sly

past tense

slied

plural

slies

comparative

slyer

superlative

slyest

present tense

sly

future tense

will sly

perfect tense

have slied

continuous tense

is slying

singular

sly

positive degree

sly

infinitive

to sly

gerund

slying

participle

slyed

Origin and Evolution of sly

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old Norse
Story behind the word: The word 'sly' originated from Old Norse 'slœgr' meaning cunning or crafty.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'sly' has retained its original meaning of being cunning or crafty, but has also taken on connotations of being deceitful or sneaky.