1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
a shady salesman who usually relies on a combination of quick thinking and guile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a person so full of guile he can't even be trusted to give you the correct time of day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 guile
In other districts, however, the wealthy pastoralists managed by guile and financial manipulation to evade the land acts, and very many of them acquired freeholds to large estates at low prices, especially in the fertile Western District.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Matching Casey and Frank’s guile is Philomac’s untested self-confidence.
—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
While the Heat have a variety of youthful options in their backcourt hierarchy ahead of Young, from the defensive guile of Davion Mitchell, to the youthful creativity of Kasparas Jakucionis, to the veteran steadiness of Dru Smith, Young is the type of speed guard rarely featured by the franchise.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
What was once done by indirection and guile is now carried with the high hand, in the face of day, at the mouth of the cannon and by the edge of the sabre of the nation.
—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guile
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Matching Casey and Frank’s guile is Philomac’s untested self-confidence.
—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
While the Heat have a variety of youthful options in their backcourt hierarchy ahead of Young, from the defensive guile of Davion Mitchell, to the youthful creativity of Kasparas Jakucionis, to the veteran steadiness of Dru Smith, Young is the type of speed guard rarely featured by the franchise.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
What was once done by indirection and guile is now carried with the high hand, in the face of day, at the mouth of the cannon and by the edge of the sabre of the nation.
—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guile
Noun
-
Honest Abe is forced to scheme, relying on grit and cunning to win the votes to abolish slavery.
-
Unable to outrun the Bitchfist, the Hand earns his reputation for cunning and courage.
Noun
-
Guo was convicted of nine of 12 criminal charges during a seven-week trial that prosecutors said showcased his deception of thousands of investors in bogus deals that enabled Guo’s lavish lifestyle.
-
By the time the deception was uncovered, the employee had authorized $25 million in transfers.
Noun
-
The original trial was found to be invalid due to fraud and deceit.
-
And with that comes deceit and manipulation.
Noun
-
Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.
-
Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.
Noun
-
Antisocial personality includes a persistent pattern of traits such as callousness, lack of concern, deceitfulness, and irresponsibility, Ryan said.
-
Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.
Noun
-
Kidan pleaded guilty in 2005 to fraud and conspiracy related to the purchase of a fleet of gambling boats, and in 2006 he was sentenced to nearly six years in prison.
-
Google also said the devices were used for ad fraud and other digital crimes.
Noun
-
Researchers say this kind of chatbot cheating is common, increasing, and a significant warning sign.
-
Throughout her time on the show, Batula experienced the ups and downs of her relationship with Cooke, which included multiple cheating allegations on his part.
Cite this Entry
“Guile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guile. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
