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- Dictionaryartful/ˈɑːtf(ʊ)l/
adjective
- 1. clever or skilful, especially in a crafty or cunning way: "her artful wiles"
- 2. showing creative skill or taste: "an artful photograph of a striking woman"
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intelligent and skillful, esp. in persuading, sometimes without being completely honest: His politics was an artful blend of high-minded patriotism and malicious gossip about his opponents. artfully. adverb us / ˈɑrt·fə·li / The machinery is artfully concealed in a polished cabinet.
1. : performed with or showing art or skill. an artful performance on the violin. 2. a. : using or characterized by art and skill : dexterous. an artful prose stylist. b. : adroit in attaining an end usually by insinuating or indirect means : wily. an artful cross-examiner. 3. : artificial. trim walks and artful bowers William Wordsworth. artfully.
Artful definition: slyly crafty or cunning; deceitful; tricky. See examples of ARTFUL used in a sentence.
If you describe someone as artful, you mean that they are clever and skilful at achieving what they want, especially by deceiving people.
To be artful is to do something skillfully, especially in a cunning way. A con man must be artful. To be an artist requires skill and talent: it's not easy to make art. Similarly, doing something in an artful way takes skill. A chess player is artful in escaping an opponent's attack.
Definition of artful adjective in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
adj. 1. Exhibiting art or skill: "The furniture is an artful blend of antiques and reproductions" (Michael W. Robbins). 2. Skillful in accomplishing a purpose, especially by the use of cunning or craft. 3. Artificial. art′ful·ly adv. art′ful·ness n. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
