What does cunning mean?
Word: Cunning
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Cunning means clever at getting what you want, often by tricking or misleading other people.
Synonyms: sly, crafty, wily, shrewd
Antonyms: honest, simple
How do you spell cunning?
Syllables: cun - ning
Tricky part: The n is doubled in the middle: students often write cuning with a single n.
Watch out for: cuning, cunnig
Memory tip: Picture a cunning fox with two sharp ears pricked up: two ears, two n's in the middle.
Cunning in a sentence
Example 1: With a cunning smile, my cousin slid the last two biscuits onto his own plate.
Example 2: He came up with a cunning plan to get out of washing the dishes.
Example 3: It took cunning and patience to win that chess game.
Fun Fact
In Middle English, cunning simply meant knowing or skilful, with no hint of trickery; it is related to the verb can.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
c_nn_ng
a) u, i
b) o, e
c) u, e
d) a, e
Show answer
a) u, i. The vowels are the short u of cup and the i of the ing ending.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
cunning
a) scheming
b) devious
c) artful
d) naive
Show answer
d) naive. Artful, devious and scheming all describe someone full of tricks; a naive person has none.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) resourcefull
b) ingenious
c) mischievous
d) cunning
Show answer
a) resourcefull. The ending ful always has a single l.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
gnnuicn
a) canning
b) running
c) cupping
d) cunning
Show answer
d) cunning. Three n's, one c and no r, a or p: that leaves only cunning.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which player is acting in a cunning way?
a) one who thanks the referee after the game
b) one who passes the ball to a teammate
c) one who pretends to be fouled to win a free kick
d) one who trains hard every morning
Show answer
c) one who pretends to be fouled to win a free kick
2. Which animal is most often shown as cunning in folk tales?
a) the cow
b) the tortoise
c) the sheep
d) the fox
Show answer
d) the fox
