cantankerous, crotchety, ornery(adj) having a difficult and contrary disposition. “a cantankerous and venomous-tongued old lady”- Dorothy Sayers. Antonyms: good-natured.

Pronunciation: There is a near even split as to whether the word is pronounced “orn-er-ree” versus “awn-ree,” with only a few people indicating “orn-ree” as their traditional pronunciation.

other words for ornery

• cranky.
• grouchy.
• grumpy.
• hard-nosed.
• ill-tempered.
• nasty.
• obstinate.
• vicious.

Some common synonyms of cunning are artful, crafty, foxy, slick, sly, tricky, and wily.

The definition of cunning is something done with ingenuity or clever deception. An example of cunning is the way a racoon gets into a closed garbage can. Skill or adeptness in execution or performance; dexterity.

“Cunning” is more negative, meaning “good at deceiving people” (though in the past it used to be equivalent to “cute”!). “Sly” is about the same as “cunning”.

verb (used with object), mim·icked, mim·ick·ing. to imitate or copy in action, speech, etc., often playfully or derisively. to imitate in a servile or unthinking way; ape. to be an imitation of; simulate; resemble closely.

Someone who is cunning has the ability to achieve things in a clever way, often by deceiving other people. Cunning is the ability to achieve things in a clever way, often by deceiving other people.

Intelligence in: analysis, emotional recognition, mathematics, music, wordplay and such. Cunning means “having or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or evasion.” It’s being crafty, scheming, calculating. Intelligence in: analysis, emotional recognition, mathematics, music, wordplay and such.

In general, “intelligent” is closer to “intellectual, mentally capable, logical”, and “clever” is closer to “creative, ingenious, cunning”. There is certainly an overlap in the synonyms. Clever is more quick witted. Intelligent is more being able to think things through.

chiefly British. : clever but morally bad and dishonest methods He succeeded through a combination of charm and low cunning.

1 : the state of being perplexed : bewilderment. 2 : something that perplexes. 3 : entanglement.

In this page you can discover 46 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for sneaky, like: devious, surreptitious, sly, clandestine, deceitful, two-faced, tricky, dishonest, conniving, underhanded and treacherous.

Here are some ways to deal with cunning people.

1. Toss the ball back into their court. Cunning people usually ask probing questions to get more insights into your personal life.
2. Be assertive. Do not allow a cunning person to play emotional games with you.
3. Change the subject.
4. Portray your weaknesses well.
5. Ignorance is bliss.

Here, experts explain the telltale signs that you could be the subject of manipulation.

• You feel fear, obligation and guilt.
• You’re questioning yourself.
• There are strings attached.
• You notice the ‘foot-in-the-door’ and ‘door-in-the-face’ techniques.
• What to do if you think you’re being manipulated.