Fox: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for the animal. Often used in both everyday conversation and in scientific contexts.

• I saw a fox in my backyard last night
• Foxes are known for their cunning nature

Term for a female fox. Can also be used metaphorically to describe a woman perceived as attractive but temperamental. The metaphorical use can have negative connotations.

• A vixen and her cubs were seen near the river
• She was known as the vixen of the neighborhood due to her fiery temper

Formal or literary term for a male fox. Used in storytelling, literature, and sometimes in heraldry.

• The cunning Reynard outwitted the hunters yet again
• Reynard the Fox is a popular figure in medieval fables

Old-fashioned term for a male fox. Mostly found in dialectal English or in historical texts.

• The farmer spotted a tod lurking near the henhouse
• In old tales, the tod was a symbol of cleverness

Less common variant of 'tod', mostly used in specific regional dialects. Rarely used in modern English.

• A toddy trotted through the misty woods at dawn
• The village folk used to tell stories of a mischievous toddy

Commonly used to describe a person who is clever in a charming or sly way, often with a positive connotation.

• She's such a fox; she charmed everyone effortlessly at the party

An informal and somewhat playful term to describe someone who is sly or clever, typically with a hint of affection or amusement.

• Watch out for him; he's a real slyboots and always pulls pranks on his friends

Used to describe someone who is skillful in getting what they want, often through deceit. This term has a negative connotation.

• The cunning person manipulated everyone to achieve their own ends

Often used to describe someone who is clever and skilled in achieving their goals, sometimes in a deceitful manner, with a neutral to slightly negative connotation.

• He's a crafty individual; he always finds a way to get what he wants

The term 'fox' can be slang for outsmarting someone.

• He foxed his opponent in the chess game.
• I was out of moves and he foxed me easily.

Deceive is used when someone deliberately makes someone else believe something that is not true. This word has a negative connotation.

• He tried to deceive his boss into thinking he had completed the project.
• She felt deeply hurt when she realized she had been deceived by her friend.

Outwit is used when someone uses their intelligence to beat or outmaneuver someone else in a clever way.

• The detective managed to outwit the criminal and solve the case.
• She outwitted her competitors to win the business contract.

Trick is used when someone uses a deceptive or playful tactic to confuse or mislead someone. This can be either playful or malicious.

• The magician tricked the audience with his amazing illusion.
• He played a cruel trick on his sister by hiding her diary.