1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
had to use all of her wiles to convince her guests to stay for dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in deception
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
it took both wile and cajolery to talk him into it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to fascinate
to attract or delight as if by magic
her stories of the Old South could wile anyone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wile
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Dec. 2025
That Hedda has forged such a life for herself is a testament to her wiles — no one is more adept at delivering acidic barbs cloaked by a friendly hand on the shoulder.
—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
Daniel Depetris,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2025
Tuck into a plate of catfish at nearby Taylor Grocery, catch a show at The Lyric, and wile away the next morning in Square Books.
—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wile
Noun
Determined to find their way back to their humans, the wise Shadow, the sarcastic Sassy, and the impulsive Chance attempt to navigate their way home using only their wiles and each other.
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Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Dec. 2025
That Hedda has forged such a life for herself is a testament to her wiles — no one is more adept at delivering acidic barbs cloaked by a friendly hand on the shoulder.
—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
Europe generally speaking is on Ukraine’s side, wants a settlement to the war to be as close to Kyiv’s preferences as possible and isn’t wiling to explore a detente with Moscow until the war is over.
—
Daniel Depetris,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2025
Tuck into a plate of catfish at nearby Taylor Grocery, catch a show at The Lyric, and wile away the next morning in Square Books.
—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wile
Noun
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Early the next morning, the authorities were at Burdette’s door, this time without a ruse.
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Of course, this could all be a literally and figurative swift ruse on the part of the Miss Americana superstar and her Super Bowl-winning fiancé.
Noun
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So, that's a kind of deception.
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The county argues the grand jury fundamentally misunderstood what happened before the explosion, saying its investigation relied on speculation instead of evidence and wrongly blamed county officials for a criminal enterprise prosecutors say was built on years of deception.
Verb
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Like countless others, I was fascinated by the intersection of medicine, epidemiology, and emerging pathogens that the book portrayed.
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Hornets have ‘totally reshaped that frontcourt’ Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo sports podcaster and writer, is fascinated by the trade on both sides.
Noun
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Boutique gems, new offers win the day Elevated VIP-style vacays with truffles, oysters and bubbly are attainable with some tips and tricks.
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Sora Shirai captured victory after maintaining his lead through the best trick section, while teammates Kairi Netsuke and Toa Sasaki climbed from the bottom of the leaderboard with clutch final tricks to complete a Japanese podium sweep.
Noun
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This is not treachery but the truest and noblest affection.
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Peacock’s adventures in treachery The Traitors was the top dog, scoring five prizes including Best Competition Series and Best Host for Alan Cumming.
Verb
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After Scotland’s beer-guzzling fans charmed locals in Boston, the Tartan Army’s party has decamped to the heat of Miami for a clash with five-time champion Brazil.
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The five-time champion may have charmed the world over the decades, but now finds itself in a bit of a dry spell, thirsty for a sixth victory.
Noun
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Prosecutors allege Eidleh, along with other members of the scheme, solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from individuals and companies seeking approval to operate fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program sites.
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This has fueled the ‘spend not sell’ movement, in which builders seek to familiarize users with earning and spending their bitcoin rather than trading and falling for get-rich-quick schemes.
Noun
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Now, though, summer in the south is so brutal that centuries of architectural trickery is being outmatched, and in the north, houses designed to retain heat during the winter have become furnaces in sweltering summers.
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There's no shame, no trickery—just relief and a chance to rebuild your financial stability.
Cite this Entry
“Wile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wile. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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