Artful Meaning
/ˈɑːtf(ʊ)l/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjCharacterized by, or performed with, cleverness or contrivance; clever, ingenious.
adjNot naturally produced; artificial; imitative.
Sentence Examples
The artful design won a prestigious award.
She created an artful arrangement of flowers.
The politician gave an artful response to the journalist's difficult question.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ design of the vase impressed everyone with its intricate patterns.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The thief used an ____ trick to steal the woman's expensive purse.
Word Origin & History
From art (“skill that is attained by study, practice, or observation”) + -ful (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The nights ſtrange proſpects, made to feede the eyes; / With Artfull fyres, mounted in the skies: / Graced with horred claps of ſulphury thunders; / May make your mind, Iehouahs greater wonders."
— 1613 (indicated as 1612), George Wither, “Epithalamion”, in Epithalamia: or, Nuptiall Poems upon the Most Blessed and Happie Mariage betweene the High and Mightie Prince Frederick the Fifth, Count Palatine of the Rhein, Duke of Bauier, &c., And the Most Vertuous, Gracious and Thrice Excellent Princesse, Elizabeth, Sole Daughter to Our Dread Soueraigne, Iames by the Grace of God King of Great Britaine, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.; Celebrated at White-Hall the Fourteenth of Februarie, 1613, London: […] [F. Kingston] for Edward Marchant, […], →OCLC:
"The doctrine that we can discover facts, detect the hidden processes of nature, by an artful manipulation of language, is so contrary to common sense, that a person must have made some advances in philosophy to believe it; […]"
— 1843, John Stuart Mill, “The Same Subject Continued [Of Demonstration, and Necessary Truths]”, in A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive, being a Connected View of the Principles of Evidence, and the Methods of Scientific Investigation. […], volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], →OCLC, § 2, page 331:
"Some of this Artfull coulour now I want, / VVhich from the Muſes I deſire to borrow, / In Melancholly Priam to diſpaint / The perfect Image and true face of Sorrow, […]"
— 1609, Tho[mas] Heywood, “Canto. 8.”, in Troia Britanica: Or, Great Britaines Troy. […], London: […] W[illiam] Iaggard, →OCLC, stanza 16, page 173:
"But oh! vvith Noon-day Heats oppreſs'd, / My aking Temples call for Reſt! / In yon cool Grotto's artful Night / Refreſhing Slumbers I'll invite, […]"
— 1707, [Joseph Addison], Rosamond. An Opera. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 15:
"The kingly bard / Must smite the chords rudely and hard, / As with hammer or with mace; / That they may render back / Artful thunder, which conveys / Secrets of the solar track, / Sparks of the supersolar blaze."
— 1847, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Merlin. I.”, in Poems, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, →OCLC, pages 180–181:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ design of the vase impressed everyone with its intricate patterns.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The thief used an ____ trick to steal the woman's expensive purse.