devious
/ˈdiːviəs/
CommonMischievously clever or sneaky in a way that is funny or impressive.
The slang usage is almost always playful, not accusatory. Calling someone devious online is usually admiration for their cleverness, not a moral judgment.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | He brought his own popcorn to the movies. Most devious lick. | Sneaking in outside food to avoid overpriced concessions is impressively crafty. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 02 | Using your work laptop for personal projects is devious but valid. | It is sneaky but understandable to use company resources for personal work. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | She signed up for 3 free trials with different emails. Devious queen. | Gaming the system with multiple accounts is impressively sneaky. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | That exam strategy was actually devious. 90% just from the study guide. | Figuring out the exam was mostly from the study guide was a clever shortcut. | tiktok, 2024 |
Use it when
- Someone found a clever hack or shortcut that is slightly unethical.
- Someone did something mildly chaotic but funny.
- Describing a plan that is impressively sneaky.
- Reacting to someone getting away with something bold.
Do not use it when
- Someone did something genuinely harmful or criminal.
- You mean someone is untrustworthy in a serious way.
Variations and related forms
Devious vs sus
devious
Devious is admiration for cleverness. It is a positive spin on sneakiness.
VS
sus
Sus implies genuine suspicion that something is off or dishonest.
Origin and context
While devious is a standard English word, the slang usage took off with the devious lick TikTok trend in 2021 where students filmed themselves stealing items from school. The word then generalized to mean any clever mischief.
- First seen
- 2021
- Confidence
- high
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Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/deviousUpdated: 2026-08-25License: CC BY 4.0