cunningly

[kuhn-ing-lee]

adverb

1. in a way that shows ingenuity or shrewdness.

   The game introduces basic principles of coding and develops problem-solving prowess while cunningly disguised as just another game.

2. Informal.,  in a way that is charmingly cute or appealing.

   The cunningly named FarmHouse Hotel reflects the quaint beauty of the English countryside.

Other Word Forms

• overcunningly adverb
• quasi-cunningly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cunningly¹

cunning ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

“I’m in the business of human emotion,” Swift says during the show, cunningly nodding to the way she’s commodified her feelings and made a profit on relatability.

From Salon

There’s much to appreciate about a show that cunningly strives not only to be deemed good but to make us redefine what that means.

From Salon

This disputatious sociopolitical drama is cunningly packaged as a romantic comedy.

From Los Angeles Times

This system cunningly increases the proportion of offspring with Wolbachia and the virus in the next generation, because females with the bacteria successfully reproduce more frequently than females without.

From Science Daily

We had a few doozies, some of which were cunningly disguised as shallow pools of water!

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• ably 
• adroitly 
• artfully www.thesaurus.com
• carefully 
• cleverly www.thesaurus.com
• coolly www.thesaurus.com
• deftly 
• deliberately 
• intelligently www.thesaurus.com
• judiciously 
• keenly 
• knowingly www.thesaurus.com
• skillfully www.thesaurus.com
• slyly 
• smartly