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
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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
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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
-
The quality that drew Kurosawa to Yonezawa’s novel in the first place is not valor or cunning but something considerably less heroic.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
-
The Brazil international combines technical craft with a decisive cunning.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But the dramatic vision-boosting reputation carrots have carried for decades traces back to a wartime deception, not science.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
-
People desperately need reassurances that elections are decided honestly, without tricks or deception to favor a candidate or a party.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
The shows tackle stories about murder, deceit, grief, familial estrangement, presidential assassinations, and complex mental health diagnoses — and all have found captive audiences on the streamer over the last year.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
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Barragán brings a surprising depth and empathy to The Yahoo Boys, to the tin roofs and traffic jams of Lagos, the SIM cards and Apple IDs that buttress this edifice of deceit.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Prosecutors charged Kwon in January with nine criminal counts for securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud and money laundering conspiracy.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Consequences for fraud Under Florida law, disabled parking permits — temporary or permanent — are issued through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) or its authorized agents, including the tax collector’s office.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
There is no evidence of any widespread cheating in Colorado elections, which have been staunchly defended by county clerks throughout the state, most of whom are Republican.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Her subsequent attempts to uncover some sign of infidelity — or at least a scrap of emotional cheating to justify her own — make everyone so uncomfortable that Dylan eventually just calls it and tells everyone to leave.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guile. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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