Definition of "devious" []

• Not straightforward; shifty: a devious character. (adjective)
• Departing from the correct or accepted way; erring: achieved success by devious means. (adjective)
• Deviating from the straight or direct course; roundabout: a devious route. (adjective)
• Away from a main road or course; distant or removed. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Ever since then, the word devious had a powerful memory association, which she now attached to Alan Daniels."
• "Boo Hoo, I preach hate and racism and now I think other people used it in 'devious' fashion. gimme a break. goodtimepolitics"
• "Moreover, corporations have powerful “think tanks” that work to influence public opinion in devious ways, such as creating the image of “unbiased research” by a panel of well-paid scientific charlatans – most insidiously used to discredit global warming for the past decade."