crafty
crafty — adjective
- craftypositive
- craftiercomparative
- craftiestsuperlative
1. Someone who is crafty uses their intelligence in a secretive or tricky way that
Someone who is crafty uses their intelligence in a secretive or tricky way that is not completely honest, often to gain an advantage over other people without them realising it.
Theo played a crafty trick to learn what his sister bought him for his birthday.
crafty trick — indirect method to gain information
A crafty old fox had been stealing eggs from the farm every night for weeks.
crafty old fox — metaphor for cunning animal behaviour
The saleswoman's crafty smile made Mei wonder if the price was a good deal.
Kwame made a crafty plan to avoid cleaning his room without telling a lie.
The insurance agent was crafty enough to hide the extra fees in the fine print.
- cunning
very similar in meaning, but 'cunning' often suggests longer-term planning and a sharper, more calculated cunning
- sly
more negative than 'crafty' — 'sly' emphasises sneakiness and a lack of trustworthiness
- shrewd
positive or neutral — 'shrewd' means sharp practical judgment without dishonest intentions
- tricky
informal and broader — can describe either a person or a situation, not just character
- honest
someone who is truthful and open, the opposite of hiding intentions
- straightforward
direct and clear in their actions, not using indirect methods
用法筆記
This sense carries a mildly negative or suspicious tone. Describing someone as 'crafty' suggests they hide their real intentions — it is not a straightforward compliment, unlike 'clever' or 'shrewd'.
常見錯誤
2. Connected with activities that involve making objects by hand, such as sewing, w
Connected with activities that involve making objects by hand, such as sewing, wood carving, pottery, or knitting.
The community centre runs crafty workshops where people learn to make pottery and weave baskets.
crafty workshops — activity-focused use
Omar bought a new sewing machine for his crafty projects at home.
Amara decorated her kitchen with crafty items like handmade candles and knitted coasters.
The store sells crafty supplies including yarn, glue, beads, and thin wooden boards.
- artisanal
more formal and often implies higher quality or traditional methods
用法筆記
This sense is used attributively (before a noun) — you describe the items, workshops, or materials themselves, not a person's character. It does not carry the negative tone of Sense 1.
3. Enjoying or being very keen on making things by hand, such as sewing, knitting,
Enjoying or being very keen on making things by hand, such as sewing, knitting, woodwork, or pottery — used to describe a person's hobby or personal interest rather than their character.
Yuki is very crafty — she knits her own scarves and makes her own soap.
is crafty — describes a person's hobby interest
Diego is not the most crafty person, but he enjoys building birdhouses with his son.
The crafty group at the library meets every Thursday to share knitting tips.
Siti has always been crafty; her flat is full of hand-painted mugs and hand-sewn cushions.
用法筆記
Unlike Sense 1, this sense is positive or neutral. It describes someone's hobby rather than their character. The person may be a beginner or an expert — 'crafty' here signals enthusiasm, not skill level.