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Charming vs Cunning - What's the difference?

charming | cunning |

As adjectives the difference between charming and cunning

is that charming is pleasant, charismatic while cunning is sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.

As nouns the difference between charming and cunning

is that charming is the casting of a magical charm while cunning is (obsolete) knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).

As a verb charming

is .

charming

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • pleasant, charismatic
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 24 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3 , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=In the abstract, Stuhlbarg’s twinkly-eyed sidekick suggests Joe Pesci in Lethal Weapon 2 by way of late-period Robin Williams with an alien twist, but Stuhlbarg makes a character that easily could have come across as precious into a surprisingly palatable, even charming man.}}
  • *
  • delightful in a playful way which avoids responsibility or seriousness, as if attracting through a magical charm

    • Antonyms

    * (pleasant) dull

    Synonyms

    * (pleasant) charismatic, smart, witty * (delightful) silly

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The casting of a magical charm.
  • * (Thomas Middleton)
    • They denied me often flour, barm and milk, / Goose-grease and tar, when I ne'er hurt their charmings , / Their brewlocks, nor their batches, nor forespoke / Any of their breedings.

    Anagrams

    *

    cunning

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) cunning, kunning, konnyng, alteration of earlier (etyl) cunninde, kunnende, cunnand, from (etyl) cunnende, present participle of . More at (l), (l).

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.
  • * South
    • They are resolved to be cunning ; let others run the hazard of being sincere.
  • (obsolete) Skillful, artful.
  • * Bible, Genesis xxv. 27
    • Esau was a cunning hunter.
  • * Bible, Exodus xxxviii. 23
    • a cunning workman
  • * Shakespeare
    • ''Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white / Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on.
  • (obsolete) Wrought with, or exibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious.
    • cunning work
  • * Spenser
    • Over them Arachne high did lift / Her cunning web.
  • (US, colloquial, rare) Cute, appealing.
    • a cunning little boy
    (Bartlett)
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) cunning, kunnyng, partially from (etyl) *.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).
  • Practical knowledge or experience; aptitude in performance; skill, proficiency; dexterity.
  • * 2005 , .
    • indeed at this very moment he's slipped away with the utmost cunning into a form that's most perplexing to investigate.
  • Practical skill employed in a secret or crafty manner; craft; artifice; skillful deceit.
  • The disposition to employ one's skill in an artful manner; craftiness; guile; artifice; skill of being cunning, sly, conniving, or deceitful.
  • The natural wit or instincts of an animal.
    • the cunning of the fox or hare
    Synonyms
    * (l) * (l) * (l)