trick

noun

\ˈtrik

Definition of trick

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud

b : a mischievous act : prank

c : a deceptive, dexterous, or ingenious feat especially : one designed to puzzle or amuse a juggler's tricks

d : an indiscreet or childish action

2a(1) : a quick or artful way of getting a result : knack the trick is to make it look natural

(2) : an instance of getting a desired result one small adjustment will do the trick

b : a technical device (as of an art or craft) the tricks of stage technique

3a : a delusive appearance especially when caused by art or legerdemain : an optical illusion a mere trick of the light

b : a habitual peculiarity of behavior or manner a horse with the trick of shying

c : a characteristic and identifying feature a trick of speech

4 : the cards played in one round of a card game often used as a scoring unit

5a : a sexual act performed by a prostitute turning tricks also : john sense 2

b : shift sense 4b(1)

c : a trip taken as part of one's employment

d : a turn of duty at the helm usually lasting for two hours

6 : an attractive child or woman a cute little trick

trick

verb

tricked; tricking; tricks

Definition of trick (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to deceive by cunning or artifice : cheat

2 : to dress or adorn fancifully or ornately : ornament tricked out in a gaudy uniform

trick

adjective

Definition of trick (Entry 3 of 3)

1a : of or relating to or involving tricks or trickery trick photography trick dice

b : skilled in or used for tricks a trick horse

2a : somewhat defective and unreliable a trick lock

b : inclined to give way unexpectedly a trick knee

3 : trig

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about trick

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Choose the Right Synonym for trick

Noun

trick, ruse, stratagem, maneuver, artifice, wile, feint mean an indirect means to gain an end. 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 trick in a Sentence

Noun

It was a trick to persuade her to give him money. She enjoys playing tricks on her friends. For his last trick, the magician made a rabbit disappear.

Verb

He tricked her by wearing a disguise. you tricked me into thinking my ex wasn't coming to the party tonight

Adjective

a trick shot in pool He has a trick knee.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

That’s a very tough budget, the combination of spending limits and economic growth will do the trick. — Kate Davidson, WSJ, "Larry Kudlow Predicts Fed Could Rethink Rate Increases," 7 Dec. 2018 Or if that's not doing the trick, use Resolve Carpet Cleaner Moist Powder. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of Unwanted Odors in Your House," 29 Nov. 2018 Anthropologie, for example, has a series of intricate ocean-themed Christmas tree ornaments that will do the trick a little more subtly. — Brittney Morgan, House Beautiful, "Mermaid Stockings Are The Sparkly New Trend Taking Over Christmas This Year," 13 Nov. 2018 Whether you're inspired by Kylie Jenner's pout or just want to add a little volume to your lips, these DIY hacks will do the trick! — Elizabeth Denton, Seventeen, "How To Make Your Lips Look Bigger — Naturally," 6 Nov. 2018 In fact, there is no one-size-fits-all G-spot trick. — Sophie Saint Thomas, Marie Claire, "7 Myths About the G-Spot You Should Stop Believing Right Now," 26 Sep. 2018 There are definite tricks of the trade that will ensure your friends and family feast on claws rather than hot dogs. — Todd Masson, NOLA.com, "Hot crabbing action with amazing underwater footage," 5 June 2018 Here are a few tricks to getting the best supplies at the best cost. — Markus Haas, San Antonio Express-News, "Homebrewers: How to get the best supply prices and selection," 17 May 2018 Something to be debated on gadget blogs and on Reddit and to end up in the hands of people who value impressing others with party tricks that have nothing to do with their own skills or personality. — Kaitlyn Tiffany, Vox, "Are foldable smartphones the future, whether we like them or not?," 12 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Caffeine can block different adenosine receptors in your body, tricking your system into thinking that it’s not time to go to bed yet. — Korin Miller, SELF, "7 Mistakes You Make Right Before Bed That Are Ruining Your Sleep," 28 Nov. 2018 Later in the war, many minors in the Philippines were kidnapped, raped or tricked into working in the brothels, some victims said. — Mari Yamaguchi, The Seattle Times, "AP Explains: Dispute between Seoul, Tokyo over WWII brothels," 21 Nov. 2018 Bird already scans licenses nationwide, but Angelica (the girl who tricked a cop with one ID) found a way around this with a fake ID printed in China, which lists her as a 21-year-old from Arkansas. — Kaylen Ralph, Teen Vogue, "Teen "Scooter Outlaws" Are Getting Busted on Shareable Scooters," 24 Sep. 2018 Too often, of course, things can look so great online that consumers are tempted to act first without wondering about the possibility of getting tricked by a spam email, a phony promise and some really bad customer service lines. — Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, "Amazon Prime Day: Gift cards, coupons and other scams to watch for," 14 July 2018 Sacha Baron Cohen has a long history of tricking prominent people into doing ridiculous interviews. — Bethonie Butler, BostonGlobe.com, "Here’s how Sacha Baron Cohen fools celebrities into embarrassing interviews, starting with ‘Da Ali G Show’," 13 July 2018 Januzaj scored a brilliant winning goal in a match otherwise devoid of quality, tricking his way past Danny Rose before curling in the only goal of the game past Jordan Pickford. — SI.com, "Fans Name Adnan Januzaj as Man of the Moment for Belgium After Stunning Winner Sinks England," 1 July 2018 Anna Delvey, the socialite who allegedly tricked the international party elite out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, will likely go down as one of the great scammers of our generation, or at least this summer. — Madeleine Aggeler, The Cut, "Anna Delvey Wants You to Send Her Mail at Rikers," 28 June 2018 The brain is full of all sorts of strategies that make sense in normal life but can be easily tricked. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "This Optical Illusion Will Have Your Brain Rushing To Fill In The Blanks," 11 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The ‘00s are cool again, right? (Trick question: They, like Britney, have always been cool.) — Kara Nesvig, Allure, "The Top 10 Britney Spears Perfumes in Order of Greatness," 23 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'trick.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.