artful meaning

UK US /ˈɑrtfəl/ 2 syllables

artful (adjective): not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness.

artful has 2 meanings in this dictionary.

artful as an adjective

  1. not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
    • an ambitious, disingenuous, philistine, and hypocritical operator, who...exemplified...the most disagreeable traits of his time
    • a disingenuous excuse

    Synonyms: disingenuous

    Similar: distorted

    Related forms: artfulness

  2. marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft
    • the artful dodger
    • an artful choice of metaphors

    Opposite: artless

    Similar: crafty, cute, designing, deep, elusive, manipulative, pawky

    Related forms: artfulness

How to pronounce artful

artful is pronounced /ˈɑrtfəl/ in American English. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.

Scrabble score: 9 (letter breakdown)

Word lists: words starting with AR · words ending in UL · 6-letter words

More about artful on Wikipedia.