as in ruses
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
I couldn't tell whether her earlier poor-mouthing had been sincere or just a gambit to get me to pick up the dinner check
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of gambits
But taken together, along with the cumulative weight of high-level diplomatic gambits to Beijing now underway — and many more on the horizon — something structural is happening that requires attention.
—
Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
None of these actions require dramatic announcements or risky gambits.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
At first blush, Rachel appears to be a mousy wallflower irritated by Marty’s fast-cash gambits.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Should the White House attempt further such gambits, a bipartisan rejection seems likely.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
Unfortunately, few of Holland’s other gambits pay off.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
None of these actions require dramatic announcements or risky gambits.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
At first blush, Rachel appears to be a mousy wallflower irritated by Marty’s fast-cash gambits.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Should the White House attempt further such gambits, a bipartisan rejection seems likely.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
Unfortunately, few of Holland’s other gambits pay off.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambits
Noun
-
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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According to an indictment unsealed in Manhattan , founder and CEO Daniel Chu and COO David Goodgame allegedly carried out fraudulent schemes from at least 2018 through September 2025.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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With Parker coming in wanting to play a variety of defensive schemes, Clowney’s body type is somewhat of an issue.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That’s forcing electronics manufacturers to cut down on memory in their devices or focus on making premium products.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Some business taxes are based on a flat rate per tax period and others are based on the amount of vehicles, machines, devices or equipment used, the number of employees, square footage of the area, seating capacity, or the scale of fees collected, according to Rodriguez’s motion.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Leftovers Batch cooking and freezing a pan of homemade lasagna or a casserole to pull out on a busy weeknight is one of our favorite tricks for fast dinners.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
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The 80-year-old musical-theater legend André De Shields, who plays Old Deuteronomy, is an old cat learning new tricks.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gambits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambits. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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