devious

[ dee-vee-uhs ]

adjective

1. departing from the most direct way; circuitous; indirect:

   a devious course.

   Synonyms: involved, tortuous, roundabout

2. without definite course; vagrant:

   a devious current.

3. departing from the proper or accepted way; roundabout:

   a devious procedure.

4. not straightforward; shifty or crooked:

   a devious scheme to acquire wealth.

   Synonyms: sly, artful, crafty, cunning, subtle

devious

/ ˈdiːvɪəs /

adjective

1. not sincere or candid; deceitful; underhand
2. (of a route or course of action) rambling; indirect; roundabout
3. going astray from a proper or accepted way; erring

Derived Forms

• ˈdeviously, adverb
• ˈdeviousness, noun

Other Word Forms

• devi·ous·ly adverb
• devi·ous·ness noun
• non·devi·ous adjective
• non·devi·ous·ly adverb
• non·devi·ous·ness noun
• un·devi·ous adjective
• un·devi·ous·ly adverb
• un·devi·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of devious¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin dēvius “out-of-the-way, erratic,” from dē- de- + -vius (adjective derivative of via “way”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of devious¹

C16: from Latin dēvius lying to one side of the road, from de- + via road

Example Sentences

“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

The player gets played only when Dawson is challenged by a trickster even more devious than her.

From Los Angeles Times

In retrospect, the “Conor” moment in the Oval Office on March 12 looks like a set-up — or, more to the point, like a devious and especially petty work of MAGA-world chicanery.

From Salon

"She's devious, that one. She loves the attention," she said.

From BBC

An estimated 127 million viewers saw the rapper flash a devious smile to the camera as he delivered the line - a withering takedown of bitter rival Drake.

From BBC

Related Words

• calculating
• deceitful
• duplicitous
• fraudulent
• insidious
• insincere
• shrewd
• sly
• sneaky
• underhanded
• wily