devious
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meanwhile the narrator’s financially devious husband appears as a vulture with “the brooding eye, the blood-tipped beak, the flabby folds of flesh” of a bird of prey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025
In less flattering terms, Ivorian opposition newspaper Le Patriote wrote: "Laurent Gbagbo - expansive, warm, and devious... his wife, Simone Ehivet-Gbagbo - enigmatic, cold, and secretive."
From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025
Using the same paint to render George and Bertha, however, yields a devious kind of portrait.
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2025
“People know me as a striver, someone who’s always coming up with devious, clever ways around things, who then gets punched in the face by the world over and over,” Odenkirk says.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2025
We had defended ourselves since memory against everything and everybody, considered all speech a code to be broken by us, and all gestures subject to careful analysis; we had become headstrong, devious and arrogant.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
![]()
Vocabulary lists containing devious
Esperanza Rising
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Born a Crime
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!