ploy

noun

ˈplȯi 

1

: escapade, frolic

2

a

: a tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent

b

: a devised or contrived move : stratagem

The story about being sick is just a ploy to get you to give her money.

… a ploy to get her to open the door?

—Robert B. Parker

Synonyms of ploy

• ruse
• scheme
• trick

Examples of ploy in a Sentence

Her story about being sick is only a ploy to get you to give her money.

asking me to take her shopping turned out to be a ploy to get me to the surprise party

Recent Examples on the Web

That the strategic ploy of publicly confirming her brother’s unconfirmable death might require additional machinations? — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

Rather than a market ploy, however, that passion can come from the filmmakers themselves. — John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

However, Range Rover has another potential ploy to lure electric skeptics. — James Morris, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

In a ploy that might sound familiar to Democrats in the United States today, Militant instructed its members to join Labour, ascend its ranks, and advance the group’s cause from the inside. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from employ

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ploy

• counter-ploy
• marketing ploy

Rhymes for ploy

• boy
• choy
• coy
• croy
• foy
• hoi
• hoy
• joy
• loy
• oy
• soy
• toy

Kids Definition

ploy

noun

ˈplȯi 

: a trick designed to embarrass or upset an opponent