INSIDIOUS: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for INSIDIOUS?

Need another word that means the same as “insidious”? Find 20 synonyms and 30 related words for “insidious” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Insidious” are: pernicious, subtle, stealthy, surreptitious, sneaking, cunning, crafty, machiavellian, artful, guileful, sly, wily, tricky, slick, deceitful, deceptive, dishonest, underhand, backhanded, indirect

Insidious as an Adjective

Definitions of "Insidious" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “insidious” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects.
• Working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way.
• Intended to entrap.
• Beguiling but harmful.

Synonyms of "Insidious" as an adjective (20 Words)

artful	Clever or skilful, especially in a crafty or cunning way. An artful choice of metaphors.
backhanded	Made with the back of the hand facing in the direction of movement. Coming from me teasing is a backhanded compliment.
crafty	Marked by skill in deception. A crafty crook faked an injury to escape from prison.
cunning	Attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness. Cunning kittens.
deceitful	Intended to deceive. A deceitful politician.
deceptive	Designed to deceive or mislead either deliberately or inadvertently. The deceptive calm in the eye of the storm.
dishonest	Deceptive or fraudulent; disposed to cheat or defraud or deceive. Dishonest politicians.
guileful	Having or showing sly or cunning intelligence. A supremely guileful and deceptive politician.
indirect	Not as a direct effect or consequence. Known as a shady indirect fellow.
machiavellian	Of or relating to Machiavelli or the principles of conduct he recommended.
pernicious	Exceedingly harmful. The pernicious influences of the mass media.
slick	Made slick by e g ice or grease. A slick commercial.
sly	Marked by skill in deception. A sly sip of water.
sneaking	Not openly expressed. A sneaking suspicion.
stealthy	Behaving or done in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard. Stealthy footsteps.
subtle	Crafty; cunning. The subtle fiend dissembled.
surreptitious	Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed. A surreptitious glance at his watch.
tricky	(of a task, problem, etc.) requiring care and skill because difficult or awkward. Applying eyeliner can be a tricky business.
underhand	Acting or done in a secret or dishonest way. Underhand dealings.
wily	Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully. His wily opponents.

Usage Examples of "Insidious" as an adjective

• Insidious pleasures.
• Sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem.
• Glaucoma is an insidious disease.

Associations of "Insidious" (30 Words)

ambush	Hunt quarry by stalking and ambushing. Seven members of a patrol were killed in an ambush.
colonist	A person who settles in a new colony or moves into new country.
confiscate	Surrendered as a penalty. The guards confiscated his camera.
creep	Move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground. The fog was creeping up from the marsh.
deprive	Prevent (a person or place) from having or using something. The city was deprived of its water supplies.
despoil	Steal goods; take as spoils. The church was despoiled of its marble wall covering.
encroachment	Any entry into an area not previously occupied. Urban encroachment of habitat.
furtive	Suggestive of guilty nervousness. A furtive manner.
incursion	The mistake of incurring liability or blame. The incursion of television into the American living room.
intrusion	A body of igneous rock which has intruded the surrounding strata. Villagers say the noise is an intrusion on their lives.
invasion	An unwelcome intrusion into another’s domain. In 1546 England had to be defended from invasion.
kingship	The state or position of being a king. Upon his succession to the kingship David retained his English estates.
loot	Steal (goods) in a war, riot, etc. Ten thousand quid is a lot of loot.
lurk	A profitable stratagem; a dodge or scheme. A ruthless killer still lurked in the darkness.
piracy	A practice similar to piracy but in other contexts especially hijacking. Air piracy.
pretend	Represent fictitiously as in a play or pretend to be or act like. I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong.
puritan	A member of a group of English Protestants of the late 16th and 17th centuries who regarded the Reformation of the Church under Elizabeth I as incomplete and sought to simplify and regulate forms of worship. Don t be such a puritan.
purloin	Make off with belongings of others. He must have managed to purloin a copy of the key.
raid	Conduct a raid on. An early morning raid on a bank.
rapine	The violent seizure of someone’s property. Industrial rapine.
shy	Short. The shares are 29p shy of their flotation price.
sneak	Someone who prowls or sneaks about usually with unlawful intentions. Sneak a cigarette.
steal	Steal a base. At 59 95 it s an absolute steal.
stealthy	Behaving or done in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard. Stealthy footsteps.
subtle	Arranged in an ingenious and elaborate way. A subtle difference.
trespass	Entry to a person’s land or property without permission. A man who had trespassed against Judaic law.
unsafe	Not safe; dangerous. Drinking water in some areas may be unsafe.
usurpation	Wrongfully seizing and holding (an office or powers) by force (especially the seizure of a throne or supreme authority. A succession of generals who ruled by usurpation.
waylay	Stop or interrupt (someone) and detain them in conversation or trouble them in some other way. He waylaid me on the stairs.