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Definition of sleight

sleight

/slaɪt/
sleight
Plural:sleights
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sleight Lexical Profile

sleight Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The use of dexterity or cunning, especially so as to deceive.

Example

"The illusionist relied on remarkable sleight of hand to make the silver coin vanish before the audience."

2

A clever trick, stratagem, or artful contrivance.

Example

"By a clever sleight of accounting, the firm managed to conceal its mounting financial losses for several quarters."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for sleight
Antonyms
View all antonyms for sleight

Word Nuance & Usage

Frequently confused with its homophone "slight" (meaning small, minor, or an insult); "sleight" refers to dexterity, cunning, or trickery, and in modern English is used almost exclusively in the fixed phrase "sleight of hand."

• Rhymes for sleight

• Nearby Words

sleeved
sleeveless
sleigh
sleight
slender
slender betta
slender blind snake

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Old Norse "slœgð" (cunning, slyness), a noun derived from the adjective "slœgr" (sly, clever).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sleight. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sleight
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