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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gambits
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
In fact, the opening two gambits were superb as Federer had to fend off a youthful Nick Kyrgios to clinch the inaugural 2017 version, while Team World pushed Europe all the way in Chicago a year later.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Unfortunately, few of Holland’s other gambits pay off.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
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
In fact, the opening two gambits were superb as Federer had to fend off a youthful Nick Kyrgios to clinch the inaugural 2017 version, while Team World pushed Europe all the way in Chicago a year later.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 18 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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Samsung says the sensor targets users who want professional-grade imaging from mobile devices.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Speaking to gadgets is often faster than typing, but Amazon and Nirva also see their devices as another means to gather data that can provide insights about a user’s life, though doing so will surely raise privacy concerns.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
“Gambits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambits. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share