trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.
the tricks of the trade
ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.
the ruses of smugglers
stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.
the stratagem-filled game
maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.
last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy
artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.
the clever artifices of the stage
wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.
used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself
feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.
a feint toward the enemy's left flank
Examples of ruse in a Sentence
His act was just a clever ruse to get me to go out with him.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The agent, keeping up the ruse, continued to push her on the phone for several minutes.—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025 Kurt's key takeaway Phishing scams are constantly evolving, and the DocuSign Apple Pay ruse is just one of many.—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025 While Kim Yo-jong was regularly seen smiling with then South Korean President Moon Jae-in, this clearly was all a ruse.—Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Or is this all one very expensive and beautifully shot Suzy Homemaker-esque ruse?—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ruse
Word History
Etymology
French, from Old French, roundabout path taken by fleeing game, trickery, from reuser
Share