Word
devious
Phoneticsde·vi·ous, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdiviəs/
UK/dˈiːvɪəs/
Definitions
01dishonest or sneaky
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. using clever tricks or lies to get what you want without being honest about it.
adj. characterised by insincerity or a lack of straightforwardness; using underhanded tactics to achieve a goal.
“He had a devious plan to take all the credit for his team's hard work.”
“The CEO was accused of employing devious accounting methods to hide the company's mounting debts from the board of directors.”
Antonyms
02indirect or winding
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Archaic
adj. describes a path or route that is not straight and takes a long time.
adj. deviating from a direct or straight course; circuitous or roundabout in nature.
“We took a devious route through the back streets to avoid the heavy traffic.”
“The explorers followed a devious path through the dense jungle, often doubling back to avoid impassable terrain.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Aaron Rose, a machine-learning researcher who worked on the project, is also an avid card player, and he figured the blackjack table might be fertile territory for devious agent partnerships.” “As the devious West Country buccaneer Long John Silver in a Muppets movie, he was fully on board with the make-believe, fully on board with the silliness.” Etymology
1590s, "out of the common or direct way," from Latin devius (“out of the way, remote, off the main road”), from de via, from de (“off”) (see de-) + via (“way, road”). Compare deviate. Originally in the Latin literal sense; the figurative sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1630s. Related to deviously, deviousness. Figurative senses of the Latin word were "retired, sequestered, wandering in the byways, foolish, inconsistent."
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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