Artful, a.
Etymology: [From Art.]
1. Performed with, or characterized by, art or skill. [Archaic] "Artful strains." "Artful terms." Milton.
2. Artificial; imitative. Addison.
3. Using or exhibiting much art, skill, or contrivance; dexterous; skillful. He [was] too artful a writer to set down events in exact historical order. Dryden.
4. Cunning; disposed to cunning indirectness of dealing; crafty; as, an artful boy. [The usual sense.] Artful in speech, in action, and in mind. Pope. The artful revenge of various animals. Darwin.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Cunning; skillful; adroit; dexterous; crafty; tricky; deceitful; designing. See Cunning.
Shades of meaning
Fernald lists artful only as an antonym, under candid.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.
Synonyms
none given