ARTFULNESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does artfulness mean? 

• ARTFULNESS (noun)
  The noun ARTFULNESS has 1 sense:

1. the quality of being adroit in taking unfair advantage

  Familiarity information: ARTFULNESS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ARTFULNESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The quality of being adroit in taking unfair advantage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("artfulness" is a kind of...):

disingenuousness (the quality of being disingenuous and lacking candor)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "artfulness"):

cunning (crafty artfulness (especially in deception))

Antonym:

artlessness (ingenuousness by virtue of being free from artful deceit)

Derivation:

artful (marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft)

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

 Context examples 

The delight with which Traddles propounded this plan to me, and the sense he had of its uncommon artfulness, are among the freshest things in my remembrance.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)