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devious

adjective

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de·vi·ous | \ ˈdē-vē-əs

, -vyəs \

Definition of devious

1a : wandering, roundabout a devious path

b : moving without a fixed course : errant devious breezes

2 : out-of-the-way, remote upon devious coasts

3a : 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

Other Words from devious Synonyms & Antonyms The "Lost" History of Devious More Example Sentences Learn More about devious

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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 late 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 suggest someone or something that had metaphorically rather than literally left the "right path" or to deceitful (rather than "straight"-forward) behavior.

Examples of devious in a Sentence

a dishonest and devious politician He took us by a devious route to the center of the city.

Recent Examples on the Web My mind is a powerful and, at times, devious little creature. — What kinds of devious new products lie in wait now that Big Tech is convinced of its omniscience? — The cast is uniformly solid, with standouts including Jessica Grabowsky as the blithely devious Finnish agent Tabe Slioor and Hannu-Pekka Björkman as Helena’s spymaster godfather, Yrjö Ylitalo, who is both protective and ruthless about Helena. — Bong Joon Ho's masterfully devious class satire also won best director, best international film and best screenplay. — But the devious combination of late-stage Lewy and the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrench into Mike’s plans to review his albums. — Meanwhile, doctors must deal with some people who are convinced the coronavirus is a devious political invention by anti-Trump activists. — Ransomware has gotten significantly more devious this year, but it's also gotten significantly bigger. — On Sunday, comedian John Oliver suggested people submit images of rats mating, in a nod to an obscene slang term for devious political sabotage. —

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'devious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.