# wily

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈwaɪ.li/ · frequency rank #37,287

## Definitions
1. Sly, cunning, full of tricks.

## Etymology
From Middle English wily, wiley, wyly. By surface analysis, wil(e) + -y.

## Easily confused with
- **WL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wl)
- **wy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wy)
- **win** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-win)
- **wit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wit)
- **wis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wis)
- **wiz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wiz)
- **wry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wry)
- **wim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wim)
- **with** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-with)
- **wish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wish)
- **wind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wind)
- **wine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wine)
- **wins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wins)
- **wing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wing)
- **wise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wise)
- **wire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wire)
- **wolf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wolf)
- **wipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wipe)
- **wink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wink)
- **wits** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wily-vs-wits)

## Common misspellings (5)
`iwly`, `wilyy`, `wiyl`, `wliy`, `wwily`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wily