devious
2 antonyms for devious — opposites grouped by meaning.
Adj — Dishonest and cunning; willing to use underhand methods to get what one wants.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adj
Dishonest and cunning; willing to use underhand methods to get what one wants.
“He used devious tactics to push his rivals out of the deal.”
Opposites
2. adj
Indirect or roundabout, rather than going straight to the point.
“We took a devious route through back roads to avoid the traffic.”
Opposites
Antonyms
How to use devious
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
devious plan
devious scheme
devious means
Etymology
From Latin dēvius, "out of the way, off the main road," from de via, "off the road." The figurative sense of "deceitful" only developed in English in the 1600s.
Full origin of devious →Frequently asked questions
What does “devious” mean?
The word “devious” means dishonest and cunning; willing to use underhand methods to get what one wants. In plain terms, sneaky and underhand — or, in its older sense, simply roundabout rather than direct.
How do you pronounce “devious”?
“Devious” is pronounced DEE-vee-uhs (/ˈdiː.vi.əs/ in IPA).
How do you use “devious” in a sentence?
Here is “devious” used in a sentence: “He used devious tactics to push his rivals out of the deal.”
What part of speech is “devious”?
“Devious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “devious” come from?
The word “devious” dates back to around 1600 and comes from Latin. From Latin dēvius, "out of the way, off the main road," from de via, "off the road." The figurative sense of "deceitful" only developed in English in the 1600s.
How many meanings does “devious” have?
“Devious” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: dishonest and cunning; willing to use underhand methods to get what one wants.
