cunning

/ˈkʌnɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌnɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkə-niŋ/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkʌn.ɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌn.ɪŋ/ (ame, ipa)

cunning — adjective

  • cunningpositive
  • more cunningcomparative
  • most cunningsuperlative

1. Good at getting what you want, especially by planning quietly and tricking other

1.形容詞C1
釋義

Good at getting what you want, especially by planning quietly and tricking other people; also used of plans, tricks, or designs that show this kind of clever thinking.

例句

Élise came up with a cunning plan to escape the locked storeroom without anyone noticing.

a cunning + noun (plan, scheme, trick)

The cunning fox waited until the farmer turned away, then slipped into the henhouse.

cunning + animal noun in folk-tale register

同義詞
  • crafty

    very close in meaning; slightly more old-fashioned and often used in stories

  • sly

    emphasises secret, quiet trickery; usually more clearly negative

  • wily

    praises experienced cleverness in escaping danger; often used of older or veteran figures

  • shrewd

    positive — good practical judgement, no implication of trickery

反義詞
  • naive

    lacking the experience to see through tricks

  • straightforward

    honest and direct, with no hidden plan

文法句型

a cunning + noun (person, plan, trick, scheme)

用法筆記

Often carries a mildly negative tone — the cleverness involves trickery or hiding intentions. When applied to objects (a cunning device, a cunning piece of engineering), the negative tone fades and the word simply praises ingenious design.

常見錯誤

❌She is a very cunning student who always studies hard.
✅She is a very clever student who always studies hard.
💡'cunning' implies trickery, not just intelligence; for ordinary praise of a learner, use 'clever' or 'smart'.
❌The teacher gave a cunning explanation of the problem.
✅The teacher gave a clear explanation of the problem.
💡'cunning' suggests sneakiness, which is the wrong feeling for honest teaching.

2. Charming and pleasant to look at, usually because of being small, neat, or unusu

2.形容詞C2
釋義

Charming and pleasant to look at, usually because of being small, neat, or unusual; mostly old-fashioned American English and now used mainly of babies, small animals, or small handmade objects.

例句

Sari held up a cunning little pair of knitted booties she had made for the baby.

a cunning little + small object — typical pattern

Antonia's grandmother called the porcelain teacups cunning, a word younger relatives no longer used.

marked as old-fashioned American usage

同義詞
  • cute

    the everyday modern replacement; works in any region

  • adorable

    stronger emotional warmth; very common in modern English

  • quaint

    old-fashioned charm, especially of small handmade or rural things

反義詞
  • plain

    ordinary in appearance, with no special charm

  • ugly

    directly opposite in appearance

文法句型

a cunning little + noun

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this meaning describes appearance, not behaviour, and carries no idea of trickery. It is dated and now sounds noticeably old-fashioned, almost exclusively in American English; modern speakers usually choose 'cute', 'adorable', or 'charming' instead.

常見錯誤

❌My new car is so cunning.
✅My new car is so cute.
💡modern speakers very rarely use 'cunning' for general cuteness; 'cute' or 'adorable' is far more natural.
❌In London, my cousin bought a cunning little hat.
✅In London, my cousin bought a charming little hat.
💡this sense is American; in British English it sounds wrong or comical.

cunning — noun