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
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of guile
Avery had rolled out his deadly plans with all the guile and strategic know-how that his navy training had taught him.
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Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Opponents had underestimated the grit and guile of someone who grew up poor, cut his teeth in the labor and immigrant rights movements and wasn’t about to leave the good life of politics just because a bunch of wokosos screamed at him.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
That is partly because smaller armies facing larger foes must rely on guile over brawn.
—Shashank Joshi, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
But his familiar guile is now facing its greatest test.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for guile 
Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Opponents had underestimated the grit and guile of someone who grew up poor, cut his teeth in the labor and immigrant rights movements and wasn’t about to leave the good life of politics just because a bunch of wokosos screamed at him.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
That is partly because smaller armies facing larger foes must rely on guile over brawn.
—Shashank Joshi, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
But his familiar guile is now facing its greatest test.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for guile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guile
Noun
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Known for his slow, methodical in-ring style and chilling promos, Roberts played a brilliant heel, often manipulating opponents with his cunning.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024
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The movie’s costume designer Tom Broecker says the change highlights the lethal cunning that lurks below the character’s beauty.Alexandra Willingham, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The series is inspired by the book The Woman Who Fooled the World by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, who helped uncover the details of Gibson's deception.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
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National Socialism, with its unscrupulous methods of deception, took care not to show how radical its aims were until the world was inured to them.Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The film depicts a struggling impersonator of P. Ramlee, Malaysia’s most famous film director, who lives a life of deceit while trying to pay off debts and save his sister’s life.Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
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Entrepreneurs, as well as their investors, partners, and employees risk becoming complicit in deceit when reality does not meet expectations.IESE Business School, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024
Noun
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In a new interview with Axios at the Aspen Security Forum, Ramaswamy said while the new department would look for waste and fraud within Social Security and Medicare, large widespread cuts are unlikely to be enacted.Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
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Ramaswamy said Wednesday that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will look for waste and fraud in those programs, including people receiving payments who shouldn't be.Erin Doherty, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near guile
Cite this Entry
“Guile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guile. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
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