as in ruses
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
used the artifice of saying his grandmother had died so that he could get the last seat on the plane
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Recent Examples of artifices
Jean-Luc Godard used nonprofessionals to rend the dramatic fabric and expose the artifices of performance.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026
Owens was initially indicted on one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, one count of forgery, four counts of perjury and one count of tampering with physical evidence earlier this year.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026
Owens was initially indicted on one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, one count of forgery, four counts of perjury and one count of tampering with physical evidence earlier this year.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artifices
Noun
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They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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Kids will quickly see through her ruses.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The most productive college players do not necessarily make the best pros—football is an endlessly interconnected game, with twenty-two players interacting within complicated strategic schemes, and the quality of collegiate competition varies widely.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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The Institute observed that a UBI program did not necessarily cause inflation; delivery system strength is key; an effective communication strategy is essential; the UBI program should fit within existing schemes; and crises shed light on the gaps in social protection systems.—
Carrie Brandon Elliot,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
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In the Jobs era, the Apple ecosystem was its biggest competitive advantage — Cook doubled down on it, with all devices working seamlessly together.—
Vitaliy Katsenelson,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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Despite their tiny size, the devices delivered some of the strongest efficiencies reported for ultrathin perovskite solar technology.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Noun
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As his tricks progressed, the Young Man felt horrified and confused at the same time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
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From that moment on, people in Cuba have been unable to access El Estornudo except through technological tricks like VPNs and proxies that alter their geolocation.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Artifices.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artifices. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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