The meaning of CUNNING is dexterous or crafty in the use of special resources (such as skill or knowledge) or in attaining an end. How to use cunning in a sentence.

CUNNING definition: skill employed in a shrewd or sly manner, as in deceiving; craftiness; guile. See examples of cunning used in a sentence.

Someone who is cunning has the ability to achieve things in a clever way, often by deceiving other people. These disturbed kids can be cunning. The clever folk in management came up with a …

Cunning people are good at planning something so that they get what they want, especially by tricking other people, or things that are cleverly made for a particular purpose:

Definition of cunning adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Dec 15, 2025 · The disposition to employ one's skill in an artful manner; craftiness; guile; artifice; skill of being cunning, sly, conniving, or deceitful. The natural wit or instincts of an animal.

Cunning, artifice, craft imply an inclination toward deceit, slyness, and trickery. Cunning implies a shrewd, often instinctive skill in concealing or disguising the real purposes of one's actions: not …

cun•ning (ˈkʌn ɪŋ) n. 1. skill employed in a shrewd or sly manner, as in deceiving; craftiness; guile. 2. adeptness in performance; dexterity: The weaver's hand lost its cunning.

Cunning means clever, in the sense of trickery. A cunning plan might involve setting traps for the innocent and pure at heart to fall into. This adjective goes back to the 14th-century English …

She was cunning enough to fool me. They cunningly dodged our questions. He may be a fraud, but you have to admire his cunning.