sleight of hand

noun phrase

1
a
: a cleverly executed trick or deception
b
: a conjuring trick requiring manual dexterity
2
a
: skill and dexterity in conjuring tricks
b
: adroitness in deception

Examples of sleight of hand in a Sentence

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 way the number two seed twiddles with his racket with a magician’s sleight of hand is mesmerizing. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 After trying and failing for years to pass the land swap as its own bill, in December 2014, McCain and Flake performed a legislative sleight of hand that, while common in Congress, was widely criticized as undemocratic. Sam MacIlwaine, Outside Online, 4 May 2025 There’s a daring sleight of hand that verges on filmed performance art, Elisabeth’s psychological engulfment literalized as her fellow parents (really, the PTA from hell) descend upon her. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2025 Its greatest sleight of hand is in its depiction of the assault and its aftermath. Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for sleight of hand

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sleight of hand was in 1593

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sleight of hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleight%20of%20hand. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sleight of hand

1
: skill especially in juggling or magic tricks
2
: a magic or juggling trick requiring skill with the hands
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