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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gambits
The international tourist trade — a key source of Hollywood foot traffic — had a tough 2025 amid the fires and Trump’s foreign and trade policy gambits.
—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
The Texas and California gambits were the first moves in an elaborate game of gerrymandering chess between the White House and Jeffries.
—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Everything in the movie, from the chomping shark attacks that churn up the waves with Hawaiian Punch foam to the way a humongous great white meets her fate at the end, takes an obvious page from Steven Spielberg’s gambits and techniques.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
But what if all these works were more than just conceptual gambits?
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
But there is good reason to think that this time, his gambits may fail.
—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
11 Mar. 2026
Prediction market users make their wartime gambits from someplace comfortable and safe, and hope to hit it big off of someone else's misfortune.
—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
7 Mar. 2026
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
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
The Texas and California gambits were the first moves in an elaborate game of gerrymandering chess between the White House and Jeffries.
—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Everything in the movie, from the chomping shark attacks that churn up the waves with Hawaiian Punch foam to the way a humongous great white meets her fate at the end, takes an obvious page from Steven Spielberg’s gambits and techniques.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
But what if all these works were more than just conceptual gambits?
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
But there is good reason to think that this time, his gambits may fail.
—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
11 Mar. 2026
Prediction market users make their wartime gambits from someplace comfortable and safe, and hope to hit it big off of someone else's misfortune.
—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
7 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambits
Noun
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They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.
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Kids will quickly see through her ruses.
Noun
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Twelve hundred conceptual categories showed up in just 490 papers and nowhere in the formal schemes, clustered in environmental drivers and ecological processes.
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New York officials say the unit is a national leader that targets complex, high-impact corporate schemes, and Attorney General Letitia James vows legal action, calling the cutoff an outrageous political attack.
Noun
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But none of that has happened, and Hamas rejected a new disarmament proposal in March that would force it to give up its tunnel network as well as rockets, heavy munitions, explosive devices and assault rifles before any Israel withdrawal.
-
This one from Amazon is only $36 and can keep your devices charged for up to one week on a single charge.
Noun
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Yamal’s flicks and tricks in his 45-minute appearance were almost enough to make memories for life, while Oyarzabal should have completed his hat-trick (both players would be substituted at the break).
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Vinícius Júnior’s extensive and varied skill set includes blinding speed, dazzling dribbling tricks, and the ability to effortlessly slip past defenders.
Cite this Entry
“Gambits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambits. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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