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
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
Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artifices
Noun
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The New York Colored American reported that some offers of short-term work for Black men — moving livestock to or from Kentucky, for example — were ruses that ended with kidnappings.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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Many suspect a spam call and don't pick up the phone, leading foundation staff to sometimes devise ruses.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The 40-year-old cooks up ways to make quarterbacks miserable in his sleep, devising schemes that are meant to lure as much as they are intended to confuse.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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More than 90 people, most with ties to the state’s Somali community, have been charged in fraud schemes targeting social services.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Travel safer and smarter in 2026 by stocking up on these 15 best personal safety devices for hotel rooms, Airbnbs, and even your own home.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
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Some brands, like Déesse, share before-and-after imagery of people who’ve used their devices consistently over weeks or months.—
Brennan Kilbane,
Allure,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There is no one organizational system that fits every family and lifestyle, but there are some tips and tricks that help.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
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So what are their go-to tricks for creating a space worth hibernating in?—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Artifices.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artifices. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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