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crafty

adjective/ˈkræfti/

definition

clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceptive methods

example

The crafty politician managed to sway public opinion with a series of misleading advertisements.

synonyms
slycunningwily
word origin — Middle English, from Old English 'craeft', meaning skill, ability, or cunning.

crafty, refractory, gratuitous, obsessive, putative: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 2 set 226. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

  1. crafty · adjective/ˈkræfti/

    clever at achieving one's aims by indirect or deceptive methods

    The crafty politician managed to sway public opinion with a series of misleading advertisements.

    Synonyms: sly, cunning, wily

    Origin: Middle English, from Old English 'craeft', meaning skill, ability, or cunning.

  2. refractory · adjective/rɪˈfræk.tə.ri/

    resistant to treatment or difficult to manage

    The patient was diagnosed with a refractory condition that did not respond to standard treatments, complicating their recovery.

    Synonyms: stubborn, unmanageable, resistant

    Origin: from Latin 'refractarius' meaning 'to resist, to rebel' (from 're-' meaning 'back' and 'frangere' meaning 'to break')

  3. gratuitous · adjective/ɡrəˈtuː.ɪ.təs/

    given or done free of charge, uncalled for or lacking good reason

    The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence, which seemed unnecessary to the plot.

    Synonyms: unnecessary, unwarranted, free

    Origin: from Latin 'gratuitus', meaning 'given freely, free of charge', from 'gratus' meaning 'pleasing, thankful'

  4. obsessive · adjective/əbˈsɛsɪv/

    having an excessive or compulsive preoccupation with a particular idea or subject

    His obsessive thoughts about winning the competition kept him from enjoying the event.

    Synonyms: fixated, compulsive, preoccupied

    Origin: from Latin 'obsessivus', meaning 'haunting, besieging', from 'obsessus', the past participle of 'obsidere', meaning 'to besiege'

  5. putative · adjective/ˈpjuː.t̬ə.t̬ɪv/

    generally accepted or supposed to be true though not proven

    The putative father of the child has yet to take a DNA test to confirm his paternity.

    Synonyms: presumed, assumed, supposed

    Origin: from Latin 'putativus', meaning 'supposed', from 'putare' meaning 'to think, consider, reckon'.