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

There’s the White House and its malicious megaphone of mindlessness; the generative AI advocates and their pushy, pathetic ploys; the Major League Baseball owners and their dedication to self-destruction. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026

Council Speaker Julie Menin and Finance Committee Chair Linda Lee promptly poured cold water on Mamdani’s property tax ploy. —Eric Kober, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026

Their poverty, the fruit of Salieri’s malicious ploys, tests the limits of their endurance. —Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026

Pegula’s decision to use underachieving receiver Keon Coleman as a ploy to defend Beane and shade the coaching staff backfired mightily. —Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 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