Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [kuhn-ing]
- /ˈkʌn ɪŋ/
- /ˈkʌn.ɪŋ/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [kuhn-ing]
- /ˈkʌn ɪŋ/
Definitions of cunning word
- adjective cunning Someone who is cunning has the ability to achieve things in a clever way, often by deceiving other people. 3
- uncountable noun cunning Cunning is the ability to achieve things in a clever way, often by deceiving other people. 3
- adjective cunning crafty and shrewd, esp in deception; sly 3
- adjective cunning made with or showing skill or cleverness; ingenious 3
- noun cunning craftiness, esp in deceiving; slyness 3
- noun cunning cleverness, skill, or ingenuity 3
Information block about the term
Origin of cunning
First appearance:
before 1275 One of the 13% oldest English words
1275-1325; (noun) Middle English; Old English cunnung, equivalent to cunn(an) to know (see can1) + -ung -ing1; (adj., v.) Middle English, present participle of cunnan to know (see can1, -ing2)
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Cunning
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
cunning popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 94% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
cunning usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for cunning
adj cunning
- knowing — affecting, implying, or deliberately revealing shrewd knowledge of secret or private information: a knowing glance.
- acute — An acute accent is a symbol that is placed over vowels in some languages in order to indicate how that vowel is pronounced or over one letter in a word to indicate where it is stressed. You refer to a letter with this accent as, for example, e acute. For example, there is an acute accent over the letter 'e' in the French word 'café'.
- smarts — to be a source of sharp, local, and usually superficial pain, as a wound.
- smooth — free from projections or unevenness of surface; not rough: smooth wood; a smooth road.
- slick — smooth and glossy; sleek.
adjective cunning
- calculating — If you describe someone as calculating, you disapprove of the fact that they deliberately plan to get what they want, often by hurting or harming other people.
- sneaky — like or suggestive of a sneak; furtive; deceitful.
- scheming — given to making plans, especially sly and underhand ones; crafty.
- devious — If you describe someone as devious you do not like them because you think they are dishonest and like to keep things secret, often in a complicated way.
- inventive — apt at inventing, devising, or contriving.
noun cunning
- slyness — cunning or wily: sly as a fox.
- wiliness — full of, marked by, or proceeding from wiles; crafty; cunning.
- craftiness — skillful in underhand or evil schemes; cunning; deceitful; sly.
- astuteness — of keen penetration or discernment; sagacious: an astute analysis.
- canniness — the quality of being canny
Antonyms for cunning
adj cunning
- stupid — lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind; dull.
- unintelligent — deficient in intelligence; dull; stupid.
- ignorant — lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned: an ignorant man.
- aboveboard — An arrangement or deal that is aboveboard is legal and is being carried out openly and honestly. A person who is aboveboard is open and honest about what they are doing.
- gullible — easily deceived or cheated.
adjective cunning
- guileless — free from guile; sincere; honest; straightforward; frank.
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with c
- Words starting with cu
- Words starting with cun
- Words starting with cunn
- Words starting with cunni
- Words starting with cunnin
- Words starting with cunning