devious purposes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "devious purposes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe intentions or goals that are dishonest, sneaky, or morally questionable. Example: "The villain in the story had devious purposes that ultimately led to his downfall."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Lynette even wondered for a mad moment whether she'd made Toby wicked when she left him, whether he'd learned from her how to have his own secrets and calculate for his own devious purposes.

The New Yorker

When she thanks Trump, while saying grace, for "making America great again," she's not being serious but, rather, trolling her sister, and speaking with the same kind of gallows humor that she always has, twisting political pablum for her own devious purposes.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

In her opening 20 minutes, Notaro's every word is weighted, her purpose always devious, as (like Louis CK) she exposes the untrustworthiness of the standup contract.

The Guardian

As the sixth week of the trial begins, it is critical for the defense to convince jurors that Alite is a devious, opportunistic liar whose only purpose has been to use Junior as a get out of jail card.

Huffington Post

"Social engineers" use devious methods to obtain valuable confidential information from their victims.

Robertson on Library Security and Disaster Planning

But the court also said no corporation was permitted to use "elaborate and devious" means — known nowadays as "gimmicks" — for the express purpose of evading taxes.

The New York Times

1. achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods 2. tamper, with the purpose of deception The word wangle has appeared in one New York Times article in the past year, on Dec. 1 in "Colleges Are Producing New Style of AIDS Activist," by Sheryl Gay Stolberg: College activism, and AIDS activism in particular, is nothing new.

The New York Times

The process is severe for a purpose: dealing with a type of criminal that society regards as dangerous, devious and manipulative.

The New York Times

Just devious.

The New York Times - Style

How devious.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The results can appear devious.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "devious purposes", ensure the context clearly indicates the dishonesty or deceit involved. The phrase is most effective when there's evidence of scheming or underhanded behavior.

Common error

Avoid overuse of "devious purposes", as it can sound cliché. Consider using synonyms like "dishonest aims" or "underhanded motives" for variety and to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "devious purposes" functions as an adjective-noun combination. “Devious” modifies “purposes,” indicating the nature or quality of those purposes. Ludwig AI highlights its use in describing calculated secrets or twisted political pablum.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "devious purposes" describes dishonest or underhanded intentions. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability, while suggesting alternatives like "dishonest aims" or "scheming intentions" for variety. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, this phrase serves to convey disapproval or suspicion. While not exceedingly common, "devious purposes" effectively communicates a sense of trickery or deceit in one's objectives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dishonest aims

Focuses on the lack of honesty in the goals, rather than the method.

scheming intentions

Highlights the planning and plotting aspect of the intentions.

underhanded motives

Emphasizes the secret and unfair nature of the motives.

conniving goals

Stresses the manipulative aspect of the goals.

crafty objectives

Highlights the clever and skillful, but perhaps deceitful, nature of the objectives.

manipulative schemes

Focuses on the manipulation involved in the schemes.

sneaky schemes

Highlights the lack of transparency.

insidious designs

Emphasizes the subtle and harmful nature of the designs.

cunning plans

Highlights cleverness and deceit in the plans.

unscrupulous intentions

Focuses on the lack of moral principles in the intentions.

FAQs

How can I use "devious purposes" in a sentence?

You can use "devious purposes" to describe someone's dishonest or sneaky goals. For example, "The villain used cunning strategies for his "devious purposes"".

What are some alternatives to "devious purposes"?

Some alternatives include "dishonest aims", "scheming intentions", or "underhanded motives". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What does "devious" mean?

"Devious" means showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals; tending to deceive or mislead.

Is "devious purposes" formal or informal?

"Devious purposes" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though it often appears in news and media when discussing strategic or underhanded actions.