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
-
As Paula finally reaches Detective Gonzalez and excitedly chatters about her wire transfer ruse, the wry officer isn’t amused.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
Sunday outsmarted Adam and Hannah with a ruse at Tribal Council.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Rozier was arrested in October along with former NBA player Damon Jones, who pleaded guilty last month for his role in schemes to defraud major sportsbooks including DraftKings and FanDuel.—
Rebecca Boone,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
The storage scheme is no slouch, either.—
John Burek,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
Noun
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And are there any tips and tricks for planning and executing the perfect anti-aging trip?—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
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Since Hathaway's viral video, people have posted themselves doing her trick, sometimes to shocking results.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gambit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambit. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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