Difference between Devious and Shifty

What is the difference between Devious and Shifty?

Devious as an adjective is deviating; not straightforward, not honest, not frank; not standard. while Shifty as an adjective is having the appearance of someone dishonest, criminal or unreliable; such as someone with shifty eyes.

Devious

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: Deviating; not straightforward, not honest, not frank; not standard.

Example sentence: In the summer of 1963, my second with 'Sports Illustrated,' Jerry Tax, the basketball editor, got the Celtics' Frank Ramsey, the NBA's first famous sixth man, to do a piece for the magazine revealing some of the devious little tricks of his trade. Things like surreptitiously holding an opponent's shorts - nickel-and-dime stuff.

Shifty

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: Having the appearance of someone dishonest, criminal or unreliable; such as someone with shifty eyes.Subject to frequent changes in direction.

We hope you now know whether to use Devious or Shifty in your sentence.

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