DictionaryAI

cunning

KUN-ing/ˈkʌnɪŋ/

6 meanings of cunning

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    Clever in a sneaky way, and good at tricking others or acting in secret.

    The cunning cat waited until we left the kitchen to steal the fish.

    He came up with a cunning plan to get out of doing chores.

    UsageClever usually sounds kinder than cunning.

    Similarcrafty, sly, wily, artful, shrewd

    Oppositenaive, guileless, ingenuous

    Note
  2. 2
    noununcountable
    Being clever in a sly way, good at tricking others to get what you want.

    She won the game with cunning, not strength.

    Nobody in the office trusted him because of his cunning.

    UsageSay by cunning or with cunning.

    Similarguile, craftiness, slyness, wiliness, deviousness

  3. 3
    cleverly madeadjective
    Made or done in a clever and skillful way, like a cunning little gadget.

    The box had a cunning lock that opened only when you pressed two hidden buttons.

    Over them Arachne high did lift / Her cunning web.
    1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, cunning means cleverly made.
    Note
  4. 4
    know-hownoununcountable
    Skill and practical know-how, the ability to do a task well.

    The old potter shaped the bowl with the cunning of forty years at the wheel.

    Her cunning with a needle meant the torn dress looked like new.

    Similarskill, dexterity, expertise, deftness

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 5
    nounobsoleteuncountable
    Knowledge or learning, sometimes secret knowledge of magic.
    Note
  2. 6
    cuteadjectivedatedUS
    Sweet and cute, in a way that makes people like it.

    What a cunning little hat the baby is wearing!

    everybody gives something to the cunning little boy; his eyes are large and soft, and he wears a pointed hat, and tight breeches, and jacket
    1857, Barbara H. Channing, The Sisters AbroadHere, cunning means cute and charming.

    UsageOften used in a cunning little thing, though today most people think it means 'sly'.

    Similarcute, charming, sweet, darling

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of cunning apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 3, 6

From an Old English word meaning "knowing how to do something".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

  • Cunning ultimately derives from Old English cunnan, meaning to know how. en.wiktionary.org
Meanings 2, 4–5

From Old English words about knowing how to do things and about knowledge or experience.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

  • The word has an Old English ancestor referring to knowing how to do things. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word also descends from an Old English word meaning knowledge or experience. en.wiktionary.org