trick 1 of 3

noun

ˈtrik How to pronounce trick (audio)
Definition of tricknext
1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end her husband used every trick in the book to get out of appearing in his parish's fashion show

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke thought that gluing the silver dollar to the floor and watching him struggle to pick it up would be a good trick

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3
as in ritual
a usual manner of behaving or doing that deadbeat is up to his usual tricks: once again he's claiming the check is in the mail

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4
as in feat
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness it'd be quite a trick to hit that target from here

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5
as in trait
an odd or peculiar habit a dog with the trick of eating cabbage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trick

2 of 3

verb

as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue you tricked me into thinking my ex wasn't coming to the party tonight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trick

3 of 3

adjective

as in tricky

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word trick different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of trick are artifice, feint, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, and wile. While all these words 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

When could artifice be used to replace trick?

Although the words artifice and trick have much in common, artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When would feint be a good substitute for trick?

The words feint and trick can be used in similar contexts, but feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

In what contexts can maneuver take the place of trick?

While in some cases nearly identical to trick, maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

When can ruse be used instead of trick?

While the synonyms ruse and trick are close in meaning, ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

When is it sensible to use stratagem instead of trick?

In some situations, the words stratagem and trick are roughly equivalent. However, stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

When is wile a more appropriate choice than trick?

The meanings of wile and trick largely overlap; however, wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of trick
Noun
If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house. —Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021 And arguably, given the variety of cask types used by the distillery, Angel’s Envy is actually a multi-trick pony. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 June 2021
Verb
But Gumrukcu, 42, failed to pull off his most dastardly trick. —Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 Pilots of the United States Air Force are learning the tricks to fly alongside drones, such as XQ-58 Valkyrie, piloted with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). —Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Designers know how to utilize this to their advantage and trick the eye into believing there is more space present than is actually there, especially in a small kitchen where space is a valuable asset. —Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2025 He will not be coaxed, tricked, or trapped. —Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trick
  1. ruse
  2. prank
  3. ritual
  4. feat
  5. trait
  6. deceive
  7. tricky
  8. scheme
Noun
  • But authorities now believe Speight made the whole story up — and even shot himself as part of a ruse.
    — Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
  • How could Russ possibly sustain this ruse?
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Definition of ruse
Noun
  • Her ascent in the digital content space started out with prank phone calls and comedy sketches inspired by her Southern Belle upbringing that drew over 3 million followers on TikTok.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The show takes that fleeting prank and asks what happens when disguise isn’t a joke but a lifeline, when the mask becomes the only face the world will accept.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of prank
Noun
  • Spiritually, onyx is linked to the root chakra and is often incorporated into rituals or crystal grids for stability, grounding and protection.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The Masters’ green jacket, the haka before New Zealand rugby matches, the seventh-inning stretch in baseball—these rituals are not just trimmings but the connective tissue of sport.
    — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • But clearly, Sanders did enjoy learning under someone like Flacco who has achieved the greatest feat there is to be done as an NFL quarterback, to win a Super Bowl.
    — Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
  • His won his first UTMB at just 20 years old in 2008, becoming the youngest ever to achieve the feat.
    — Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of feat
Noun
  • The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
  • More importantly, both people have to actually want to share the role, which is a trait that doesn’t always align with personalities drawn to being a CEO.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Definition of trait
Verb
  • Everton appear locked in a cycle where their starting No 9 flatters to deceive, is left out for the next game, but then the replacement fares little better.
    — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Unfortunately, bank customers aren't always reimbursed when they're hit by some scams, including when they're deceived into making a payment to a con artist, such as in a romance scam.
    — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of deceive
Adjective
  • Such work would be an important reality check as society grapples with this kind of emerging threat from AI, says Casadevall, but would be tricky to do, as it might be precluded by international treaties prohibiting the development of biological weapons.
    — Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Oat milk, notoriously tricky in cheaper frothers, came out smooth and stable with no splitting or watery texture.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of tricky
Noun
  • Rosenzweig worked on dozens of complex cases as a prosecutor in the economic crimes section, which focuses on healthcare fraud, money laundering and other financial schemes.
    — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The Lions’ surprisingly poor showing against their NFC North rivals kneecapped CBS’ deliveries, although the Eye Network also didn’t get much of a lift from the new BDP scheme.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of scheme

Phrases Containing trick

Browse Nearby Words

trichromatic
trick
tricked
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Cite this Entry

“Trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trick. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trick

Nglish: Translation of trick for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trick

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