He's a shifty character and I don't trust him one bit.
Source: tatoeba (3153328)
Shifty
/ˈʃɪfti/
Synonyms for "shifty" (252 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (51)
Noun(1 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (75)
Adjective(1 words)
diplomaticdiscreetdishonestdishonorabledisingenuousdizzydodgingdoubledouble dealingdouble-dealingdoubtfuldubiousduplicitouseccentricelusiveelusoryequivocatingerraticevasivefaithless
Show 54 more words
falsefalseheartedfast and loosefelinefeloniousficklefinaglingfishyfitfulflickeringflightyflittingfluctuatingfoxyfraudulentfreakishfurtivegiddyguilefulhazardoushidlingshole-and-cornerhugger muggerhugger-muggerill-gotill-gottenimmoralimpetuousimpulsiveinconsistentinconstantindecisiveindirectinfirmingeniousinsecureinsidiousinsincereinsubstantialinventiveirregularirresoluteirresponsibleknavishknowinglyingmachiavellianmachiavellicmalingeringmazymendaciousmercurialmoodymutable
Related words (126)
not kosherpawkyperfidiousperilouspoliticprecariousprivyprovisionalquestionablequietramblingreadyresourcefulrestlessriskyroguishrottenrovingscatterbrainedscheming
Show 102 more words
secretsecretiveserpentineshadyshakyshamelessshapelesssharpshiftingshirkingshrewdshufflingsinisterskulkingslickslinkingslinkyslipperyslysmoothsnakysneakingsneakysophisticalspasmodicspinelessstealthystrategicsubtilesubtlesupplesurreptitioussuspicioustacticaltemporarytentativeticklishtraitoroustreacheroustrickishtricksytrickytwo facedtwo-facedunaccountableuncertainuncommunicativeunconsciencedunconscientiousunconscionableuncontrolledundependableunder-the-counterunder-the-tableundercoverundergroundunderhandunderhandedundisciplinedunethicalunfaithworthyunfixedunobtrusiveunpredictableunprincipledunreliableunrestrainedunsavoryunscrupulousunsettledunsolidunsoundunstableunstable as waterunstaidunsteadfastunsteadyunstraightforwardunsubstantialunsureuntrustworthyuntruthfulvacillatingvagrantvariablevicissitudinaryvicissitudinousvolatilevulpinewanderingwantonwarywaveringwaverywavywaywardwhimsicalwilywishy washywishy-washywithout remorsewithout shame
Adjective(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: acute, adrift, afloat, alternating, ambidextrous.
- Sentence evidence is available for shifty, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "shifty".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "shifty"
Keep "shifty" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "shifty" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "shifty", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "shifty" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
3 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
5 entriesshifty behaviorshifty charactershifty eyesshifty lookshifty salesman
Inflections
2 entriesDerivations
2 entriessimilar
3 entriesSample sentences
11 total sentences available.
It was an odious face—crafty, vicious, malignant, with shifty, light-grey eyes and white lashes.
Source: tatoeba (7483292)
Off he raced, shuffling his bare feet through the hot, dry, shifty sand.
Source: wiktionary
The Helfrich plan is simple and direct, based upon a minute knowledge of Indies waters: to strike & strike again & again at the Japanese supply lines. For most of his naval life, Java-born Admiral Helfrich has done nothing but study war with the Japanese. His Navy was designed for shifty, aggressive action within the narrow East Indian waters. In the first 54 days of war his ships and cooperating Dutch planes sank 54 Japanese vessels. "Ship-a-day Helfrich," the Dutch soon called him. His ideas dominated the enlarging and equipping of Java's main naval base at Surabaya, where heavy cruisers (but not battleships) can be fueled and repaired. For the Helfrich plan to succeed, Surabaya must be held.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "shifty"?
Closest matches include acute, adrift, afloat, alternating, ambidextrous.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "shifty"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.