Definitions
- Describing someone who is clever and able to achieve their goals through deceit or trickery. - Referring to someone who is sly and manipulative in their actions or behavior. - Talking about something that is skillfully made or designed, often with a hidden purpose or agenda.
- Describing someone who is skilled at deception and able to manipulate situations to their advantage. - Referring to someone who is shrewd and crafty in their actions or behavior. - Talking about something that is cleverly designed or executed, often with a hidden motive or intention.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe someone who is skilled at deception and manipulation.
- 2Both words can be used to describe people or things.
- 3Both words have negative connotations.
- 4Both words imply a level of intelligence and cunningness.
What is the difference?
- 1Usage: Cunning is more commonly used than wily in everyday language.
- 2Connotation: Cunning is often associated with a sense of admiration or respect for the person's cleverness, while wily is more negative and implies a sense of distrust or suspicion.
- 3Focus: Cunning emphasizes the ability to deceive and trick others, while wily emphasizes the ability to manipulate situations to one's advantage.
- 4Tone: Cunning can be used in both formal and informal contexts, while wily is more commonly used in informal or literary contexts.
Remember this!
Cunning and wily are synonyms that describe someone who is skilled at deception and manipulation. However, cunning is more commonly used and has a more positive connotation, implying a sense of admiration for the person's cleverness. On the other hand, wily is less common and has a more negative connotation, implying a sense of distrust or suspicion towards the person's motives.
