devious

4 synonyms and 2 antonyms for devious, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adj — Dishonest and cunning; willing to use underhand methods to get what one wants.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

roundabout

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

oblique circuitous shifty

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.”

roundabout oblique circuitous shifty

Opposites

straightforward

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

direct

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.

People also searched

direct straightforward roundabout oblique circuitous shifty

Nearby words

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