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   De·vi·ous

   /ˈdēvēəs/

   

   adjective

   • 1. showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals: "he's as devious as a politician needs to be" Similar underhandunderhandeddeceitfuldishonestdishonorabledisreputableunethicalunprincipledimmoralunscrupulousfraudulentcheatingdubiousdirtyunfairtreacherousduplicitousdouble-dealingJanus-facedbelow the belttwo-timingtwo-facedunsportingunsportsmanlikecraftycunningcalculatingartfulconnivingschemingdesigningslywilyguilefultrickysneakysneakingfurtivesecretsecretiveclandestinesurreptitiouscovertveiledshroudedcloak-and-daggerhugger-muggerhole-and-cornerhiddenback-alleybackstairsunder the tableconspiratorialsnidesnideyinformal:crookedshadybentlowdownmurkyfishydodgyshonkyslimOpposite above board
   • 2. (of a route or journey) longer and less direct than the most straightforward way: "they arrived at the town by a devious route" Similar circuitousroundaboutindirectmeanderingwindingserpentinetortuousramblingrare:anfractuousOpposite direct

   Word Origin late 16th century: from Latin devius (from de- ‘away from’ + via ‘way’) + -ous. The original sense was ‘remote’; the later sense ‘departing from the direct route’ gave rise to the figurative sense ‘deviating from the straight way’ and hence ‘skilled in underhand tactics’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. deviously adverb
   • 2. deviousness noun

   Scrabble Points: 11

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2. People also ask

   What is a devious person?

   • DEVIOUS definition: 1. Devious people or plans and methods are dishonest, often in a complicated way, but often also…. Learn more.

   DEVIOUS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/devious

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   What does deviously mean?

   • Define deviously. deviously synonyms, deviously pronunciation, deviously translation, English dictionary definition of deviously. adj. 1. Not straightforward; shifty: a devious character. 2. Departing from the correct or accepted way; erring: achieved success by devious means.

   Deviously - definition of deviously by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com/deviously

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   What is a devious route?

   • Newman was devious, prepared to say one thing in print and another in private. By devious means she tracked down the other woman. ...the deviousness of drug traffickers. A devious route or path to a place involves many changes in direction, rather than being as straight and direct as possible . He followed a devious route.

   DEVIOUS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/devious

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   What is a devious adjective?

   • Definition of devious adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary behaving in a dishonest or indirect way, or tricking people, in order to get something synonym deceitful, underhand He got rich by devious means. The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words.

   devious adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/devious

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3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › deviousDevious Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › devious

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   Devious means wandering, roundabout, or deviating from a right or accepted course. It can also mean cunning, deceptive, or sneaky. Learn more about its synonyms, examples, and etymology.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › deviousDEVIOUS | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › devious

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   Devious means dishonest, often in a complicated way, but sometimes also smart and successful. It also means not direct, using indirect ways to get what you want. See more meanings, synonyms, examples and translations of devious.

5. Videos

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     DEVIOUS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

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6. www.dictionary.com › browse › deviousDEVIOUS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › devious

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   Devious definition: departing from the most direct way; circuitous; indirect. See examples of DEVIOUS used in a sentence.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishDEVIOUS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Devious means dishonest, often in a complicated way, but often also clever and successful. It also means not direct, avoiding the city centre or the real purpose. See synonyms, antonyms, and examples of devious in different contexts.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › deviousDevious - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › devious

   devious: 1 adj deviating from a straight course “a scenic but devious route” Synonyms: circuitous , roundabout indirect not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination adj indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading “used devious means to achieve success” Synonyms: oblique ...

9. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishDEVIOUS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   6 days ago · Devious means dishonest, secretive, or indirect, often in a complicated way. Learn how to use this adjective in sentences, and find synonyms and related words in Collins English Dictionary.

10. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › us › definitiondevious adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and ...

    www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › us › definition

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    Devious means behaving in a dishonest or indirect way, or tricking people, in order to get something. Learn how to use this adjective with synonyms, pronunciation, pictures and extra examples.