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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of artifice are feint, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, trick, and wile. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When would feint be a good substitute for artifice?

While in some cases nearly identical to artifice, feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

When can maneuver be used instead of artifice?

While the synonyms maneuver and artifice are close in meaning, maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

When is ruse a more appropriate choice than artifice?

The synonyms ruse and artifice are sometimes interchangeable, but ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

Where would stratagem be a reasonable alternative to artifice?

The words stratagem and artifice are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

When is it sensible to use trick instead of artifice?

The meanings of trick and artifice largely overlap; however, trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

When might wile be a better fit than artifice?

The words wile and artifice can be used in similar contexts, but 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 artifice Instead, the Buttholes embraced artifice. Pat Blashill, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025 In May, a grand jury indicted her on seven felony counts: one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, one count of forgery, four counts of perjury and one count of tampering with physical evidence. Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025 For brands, the trend has become an opportunity to market products that speak to the Performative Male; which, in turn, only saturates the dating pool with more artifice that is a turn-off for women. Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025 The use of vocoder fosters a discourse on performance, artifice, and camp. Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 9 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for artifice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artifice
Noun
  • Today’s shortsighted, sellout city politicians are killing the golden goose under the ruse that affordable housing is the be-all and the end-all of life in San Diego.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The agent, keeping up the ruse, continued to push her on the phone for several minutes.
    Lauren del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Luke Shaw’s technique and cunning at centre-back deserved to be better rewarded.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Others praised the pup's cunning.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Martin’s energy onstage always skyrockets and his performance skills are undiminished.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Alfons Freij is a mobile defenceman with enough puck skill to impress, but whose decision-making needs improvement before being considered an NHL player.
    Murat Ates, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Advances in deception and seeking technologies will further shape this contest, as each side works to reduce the effectiveness of the other’s systems.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Minnesota’s Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson condemned the deception and affirmed how troubling the ambush was.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • When does compromise become treachery or defeat?
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer?
    Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Paul looks the part and Savaiinaea has the footwork and athleticism needed to thrive in this zone-blocking scheme.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Park’s character in Confidence Queen Park sets one clever trap after another, fitting each scheme into a larger puzzle.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.
    Tim Greiving, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His lurid saga — set in the tropics, the plot revolving around deceit and a dead body — would be just the sort of onscreen story PMI specialized in financing.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
  • And in a world where time is money, conditions are ripe for a perfect storm of greed, deceit, and willful gullibility—all in the hope of getting ahead faster than the rest.
    Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Artifice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artifice. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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