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

Or were their outrageous takes simply a ploy to boost ratings? —Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026

Perhaps the new design is a subtle ploy to further convince Elliot Anderson to make the move from Forest to Old Trafford. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 15 May 2026

While court orders that block counterfeiters can help to safeguard intellectual property, sometimes those counterfeiters simply turn to other aliases and cybersquatting ploys to continue their activities. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026

If your partner insists on knowing the passcode to your phone or emails and consistently tracks your location, this is likely yet another ploy for control. —Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 7 May 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