Guileful

Guileful describes a person, action, or plan characterized by cunning, deceit, and trickery. It implies the use of cleverness, often in a subtle or underhanded way, to achieve a particular objective, frequently at the expense of others. A guileful individual is skilled at manipulating situations and people, hiding their true intentions behind a facade of charm or innocence. This deception may involve misleading statements, half-truths, or carefully constructed schemes designed to gain an advantage. The intent behind guilefulness is often to exploit, control, or benefit unfairly from a situation. It reflects a lack of straightforwardness and honesty. A guileful approach prioritizes self-interest above fairness and transparency, showcasing the art of appearing virtuous while plotting covertly.

Guileful meaning with examples

• The politician's guileful campaign strategy involved promising contradictory policies to different voter groups, ensuring broad appeal while subtly undermining potential opposition. His ability to appear sincere while delivering deceitful promises baffled his rivals.
• In a desperate attempt to salvage her failing business, the entrepreneur employed a guileful marketing tactic, falsely claiming record sales and generating an artificial buzz that briefly resurrected consumer interest and led to new investors.
• The spy, known for his guileful methods, infiltrated the enemy's camp by feigning sympathy for their cause, secretly gathering intelligence and exploiting their vulnerabilities with utmost precision.
• The classic tale portrayed the villain as guileful, using elaborate traps and deceptive language to lure the heroes into perilous situations. Every move was carefully plotted for manipulation of their foes.
• Her guileful negotiation tactics involved feigning ignorance and shifting blame, ultimately securing a much better deal for herself than was initially offered. Her opponent never fully saw what was coming.