devious
adjective
de·vi·ous ˈdē-vē-əs 
-vyəs
1
a
: wandering, roundabout
a devious path
b
: moving without a fixed course : errant
devious breezes
2
: out-of-the-way, remote
upon devious coasts
3
a
: deviating from a right, accepted, or common course
devious conduct
b
: not straightforward : cunning
a devious politician
also : deceptive
a devious trick
a devious plot
deviously adverb
deviousness noun
Did you know?
The "Lost" History of Devious
If you think someone devious has lost their way, you're right, etymologically speaking—the word derives from the Latin adjective devius, itself formed from the prefix de- ("from" or "away") and the noun via ("way"). When devious was first used in the 16th century, it implied a literal wandering off the way, suggesting something that meandered or had no fixed course (as in "a devious route" or "devious breezes"). Relatively quickly, however, the word came to describe someone or something that had left the right path metaphorically rather than literally, or to describe deceitful rather than straightforward behavior.
Synonyms
- artful
- beguiling
- cagey
- cagy
- crafty
- cunning
- cute
- designing
- dodgy [chiefly British]
- foxy
- guileful
- scheming
- shrewd
- slick
- sly
- subtle
- tricky
- wily
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a dishonest and devious politician He took us by a devious route to the center of the city.
Recent Examples on the Web In the second spot, which debuted Monday during the Clemson-Georgia Tech game, Young showed his ability to change his facial expression and display a more devious side. 
Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 6 Sep. 2022 The result is sometimes as claustrophobic and ill-conceived as Peter’s mad love for his devious boy toy. Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 Merhige treads a very fine line between crafting his own vampire story while also delivering a devious industry send-up, as well as a striking homage to Nosferatu. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2022 Hart dropped by The Tonight Show on Monday night (July 25) to tell his goat tale, describing his devious plan to get Rock’s goat in the best way possible. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 July 2022 The restraint needed to avoid inserting a particularly devious clue into a puzzle meant for beginners is remarkable. New York Times, 21 Aug. 2022 The character of Tricia, rather than just being the usual parent/victim/stooge in an attack-of-the-kid-from-hell horror movie, has a devious agenda. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2022 In trying to get her piece of the casino deal, Autumn has to navigate around the very devious powerful citizens of Chucalissa. Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2022 Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé’s brilliant yet devious alter ego, came out to play with this one. Natachi Onwuamaegbu, Washington Post, 28 July 2022 See More
Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 6 Sep. 2022 The result is sometimes as claustrophobic and ill-conceived as Peter’s mad love for his devious boy toy. Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 Merhige treads a very fine line between crafting his own vampire story while also delivering a devious industry send-up, as well as a striking homage to Nosferatu. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2022 Hart dropped by The Tonight Show on Monday night (July 25) to tell his goat tale, describing his devious plan to get Rock’s goat in the best way possible. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 July 2022 The restraint needed to avoid inserting a particularly devious clue into a puzzle meant for beginners is remarkable. New York Times, 21 Aug. 2022 The character of Tricia, rather than just being the usual parent/victim/stooge in an attack-of-the-kid-from-hell horror movie, has a devious agenda. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2022 In trying to get her piece of the casino deal, Autumn has to navigate around the very devious powerful citizens of Chucalissa. Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2022 Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé’s brilliant yet devious alter ego, came out to play with this one. Natachi Onwuamaegbu, Washington Post, 28 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin devius, from de from + via way — more at de-, way
First Known Use
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Kids Definition
devious
adjective
de·vi·ous ˈdē-vē-əs
1
: sneaky, dishonest
2
: not straight : having many twists and turns
a devious trail
devious
adjective
1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means we always left it to our most devious friends to find out the latest information Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- cunning
- cute
- subtle
- wily
- deceptive
- scheming
- dishonest
- sly
- fraudulent
- treacherous
- slick
- shrewd
- guileful
- crooked
- artful
- crafty
- deceitful
- beguiling
- tricky
- cagey
- designing
- foxy
- shady
- dodgy
- calculating
- plotting
- slippery
- unscrupulous
- cagy
- sneaky
- underhanded
- astute
- shifty
- knavish
- covert
- clandestine
- underhand
- sharp
- oblique
- undercover
- insinuating
- Machiavellian
- circuitous
- hypocritical
- glib
- secret
- serpentine
- insincere
- circular
- facile
- stealthy
- furtive
- surreptitious
- concealed
- roundabout
- two-faced
- backhanded
- mealy
- smooth-tongued
- double-dealing
- mealymouthed
- left-handed
- hugger-mugger
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- innocent
- obvious
- guileless
- artless
- simple
- plain
- ingenuous
- public
- real
- straightforward
- forthright
- sincere
- honest
- outspoken
- open
- unsophisticated
- frank
- natural
- childlike
- direct
- candid
- unpretentious
- unconcealed
- unaffected
- patent
- aboveboard
- unworldly
- impressionable
- unvarnished
- unpretending
- simpleminded
- undesigning
- unstudied
- trusting
- plainspoken
- trustful
- unforced
2
as in twisted
marked by a long series of irregular curves a devious trail through the swampland Synonyms & Similar Words
- twisted
- winding
- curved
- twisting
- curving
- serpentine
- crooked
- tortuous
- sinuous
- crazy
- bending
- windy
- curvy
- jagged
- curling
- curled
- circuitous
- coiled
- zigzagging
- spiral
- indirect
- zigzag
- coiling
- uneven
- swirling
- circling
- meandering
- looping
- spiraling
- rambling
- roundabout
- wandering
- corkscrew
- irregular
- spiralling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- linear
- straight
- direct
- straightaway
3
as in unnatural
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal her behavior is devious because of a developmental disorder Synonyms & Similar Words
- unnatural
- abnormal
- unusual
- deviant
- unusual
- irregular
- uncommon
- bizarre
- odd
- eccentric
- atypical
- anomalous
- aberrant
- uncommon
- unconventional
- strange
- extraordinary
- funny
- odd
- aberrational
- curious
- weird
- deviate
- untypical
- quirky
- wacky
- peculiar
- strange
- extraordinary
- idiosyncratic
- outlandish
- kinky
- unorthodox
- remarkable
- whacky
- screwy
- freakish
- outré
- peculiar
- quaint
- unrepresentative
- rare
- unwonted
- preternatural
- wild
- way-out
- far-out
- rare
- unwonted
- nonconformist
- uncustomary
- preternatural
- out-of-the-way
- queer
- queerish
- uncustomary
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- typical
- natural
- normal
- common
- familiar
- ordinary
- regular
- standard
- usual
- commonplace
- unremarkable
- everyday
- routine
- unexceptional
- customary
- characteristic
- archetypal
- run-of-the-mill
- wonted
- workaday
- run-of-the-mine
- average
- representative
- archetypical
- run-of-mine