as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
The seemingly benign questioning was all just a gambit to get them to fess up to their wrongdoing.
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Recent Examples of gambit
The legendary Chicago Bull ended as a Washington Wizard at age 40, then embarked on a team-ownership gambit that was wildly unsuccessful.
—
Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
That gambit transforms trillions that would otherwise be spent into savings.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 30 May 2026
This is a particularly shrewd gambit - on multiple symbolic and practical levels.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Word of the stunt only began to dribble out Saturday morning, as the Latenighter site reported on the gambit and posted video of the full hour on YouTube.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
That gambit transforms trillions that would otherwise be spent into savings.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 30 May 2026
This is a particularly shrewd gambit - on multiple symbolic and practical levels.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Word of the stunt only began to dribble out Saturday morning, as the Latenighter site reported on the gambit and posted video of the full hour on YouTube.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambit
Noun
-
No doubt some of the Asch experiment subjects chuckled on their way out the door, once the ruse had been explained to them.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Nov. 2025
-
However, the video was all a ruse as Kotb was actually waiting backstage to surprise Bush Hager.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
25 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The government alleges the couple made about $244,550 off their trading scheme.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Nelson harnesses that take-it-or-leave-it energy and sticks to his guns with a dramatic dynamic and a visual scheme that’s unlike anything these movies have attempted before.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
This portable table will do the trick.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Dec. 2025
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And while the look may seem dated now, a new crop of red carpet stars is reviving that styling trick in a way that feels surprisingly fresh.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gambit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambit. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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