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guilefully

guilefully

8.5
In a clever, tricky way to get what you want
  • adverb
  • /ˈɡaɪl.fəl.i/
translation icon : astutamente
  • The salesman spoke guilefully, using charm to win over the reluctant customers.

Examples

  • Perked up by the obligation to be hospitable, Clayton spun tales of history and legend in his inventive, sometimes guilefully misleading English.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • "Guilefully renaming it, Punch takes and plays the fiddle on Scaramouch's head, but in such a way that it looks as if the stick, rather than Punch, has aimed the blow.

    Academic text (1995)
  • She guilefully manipulated the competition into making mistakes during the contest.

  • With a guilefully crafted story, he convinced everyone to trust his intentions.

Synonyms

slyly
vsguilefully
8 6.1

In a secret, clever way so others do not notice

stresses cleverness used specifically to reach a personal goal
cunningly
vsguilefully
5 6.5

In a clever and dishonest way to trick people

emphasizes both cleverness and deceit to reach a goal
artfully
vsguilefully
5 6.7

In a clever way to trick or deceive someone

highlights cleverness combined with dishonest intent to achieve goals
sneakily
vsguilefully
2 4.9

In a secret way so other people do not notice

adds that the secretive action aims to achieve a goal by deceit
deviously
vsguilefully
2 7.6

In a dishonest or not direct way to get what you want

focuses more on clever deceit rather than mere indirectness
craftily
vsguilefully
1 6.5

To use clever tricks to get what you want without telling the truth

focuses on clever deceit specifically to get a desired result
treacherously
vsguilefully
1 7.6

To break someone's trust by betraying them

focuses instead on cunning and deceit used to reach a goal
deceitfully
vsguilefully
1 6.3

In a way that tries to trick someone

adds a sense of clever planning used to achieve a goal
deceivingly
vsguilefully
1 7.7

In a way that seems true but is not

is broader, combining that misleading with clever aim to achieve results
mendaciously
vsguilefully
  • Formal
1 9.9

In a way that says things that are not true

broadens this to include clever planning and trickery, not only lies
artly
vsguilefully
  • Archaic
9.9

In a clever, slightly tricky way to get a result

adds that clever technique is aimed at deceit to reach goals
knavishly
vsguilefully
  • Archaic
9.9

Someone behaves in a dishonest, clever way to trick others

is similar but stresses cleverness as well as dishonesty
trickily
vsguilefully
8.1

In a clever way that tries to fool someone

emphasizes cleverness plus deceit rather than just subtlety
underhandedly
vsguilefully
7.9

In a secret, dishonest way to get an unfair advantage

is similar but highlights clever planning as well as secrecy
manipulatively
vsguilefully
7.2

In a secret or clever way to make other people do what you want

limits this to clever and deceitful action aimed at personal gain
perfidiously
vsguilefully
  • Formal
9.9

In a dishonest way that betrays trust

is less about betrayal and more about clever deceit to achieve aims

Antonyms

152 1.0

In a way that shows true feelings without pretending

How Deceptive

fraudulently
10 7.5
deceitfully
1 6.3
guilefully
8.5
cunningly
5 6.5

Surface Forms

guilefully positive
guilefullyer comparative
guilefullyest superlative

Morphology

guilefully = guileful (transparent) = guile + ful + ly

The adverb is a straightforward formation from the adjective 'guileful' by adding '-ly'.

Etymology

The word guilefully comes from guile, which means 'trick' or 'deceit'. So to act guilefully is to use clever tricks or sly planning to get what you want.