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
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
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
-
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
-
Nina Gold and Martin Ware build out a Vatican of schemes with the kind of distinctive faces and depth that Leonardo Da Vinci would put in a painting.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
2 Feb. 2026
-
In practice, tax-the-rich schemes diminish economic vibrancy.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Oc Register,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In September, a swarm of Russian drones flew into Poland's airspace, prompting NATO aircraft to scramble to intercept them and shoot down some of the devices.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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The countries announced a framework for the agreement in November, saying Argentina would ease restrictions on a range of American imports, including cattle, dairy products, medicines, chemicals, machinery, medical devices and vehicles.—
Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Read on for the ultimate guide for how to stack necklaces, complete with eight tips and tricks to achieve the layered look for yourself.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
3 Feb. 2026
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They were locked in an aerial arms race, trying to one-up each other with more difficult tricks.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gambits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambits. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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