The meaning of SHIFTY is full of or ready with expedients : resourceful. How to use shifty in a sentence.

Adjectives in -y/-ie can also frequently be metaphorical (lippy, shifty) and occasionally truncated (bolshie).

SHIFTY definition: resourceful; fertile in expedients. See examples of shifty used in a sentence.

Definition of shifty adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

1. Having, displaying, or suggestive of deceitful character; evasive or untrustworthy. 2. Distinguished by frequent changes in direction: shifty winds. 3. Able to accomplish what is needed; resourceful.

Oct 4, 2025 · (informal, idiomatic) Having the appearance of being dishonest, criminal, or unreliable. He was a shifty character in a seedy bar, and I checked my wallet was still there after talking to him.

Shifty definition: Having, displaying, or suggestive of deceitful character; evasive or untrustworthy.

There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective shifty, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Someone who looks shifty gives the impression of being dishonest. He had a shifty face.

That can help you remember the meaning of shifty, which describes someone who may not be literally shifting around, but they’re acting in a way that makes you think they're up to no good.