artful
pronunciation
How to pronounce artful in British English: UK [ˈɑ:tfl]
How to pronounce artful in American English: US [ˈɑrtfl]
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- Adjective:
- not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
- marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft
Word Origin
- artful (adj.)
- 1610s, "learned, well-versed in the (liberal) arts," also "characterized by technical skill," from art (n.) + -ful. Meaning "skilled in adapting means to ends" is from 1739. Related: Artfully; artfulness.
Example
- 1. Choosing complementary shades of paper allows for an artful mix of patterns .
- 2. Mr schwab is also artful enough to make the agenda sufficiently vague and diverse that everyone can find something worth talking about .
- 3. With such artful , literate songs as " just like tom thumb 's blues , " which obliterated the traditional focus on sing along choruses , highway 61 revisited was a huge success that established the singer-songwriter as the dominant figure in rock .
- 4. It 's the same old story of the contrast between artful illusion and hard reality .
- 5. One of mr fielden 's most artful sleights-of-hand has been his treatment of fashion .