1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
asking me to take her shopping turned out to be a ploy to get me to the surprise party
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2
as in spree
a time or instance of carefree fun
wanted one grand ploy through Europe before settling down and raising a family
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ploy
Restrain your anger and disappointment over FIFA’s corporate greed and unabashed ploy to capitalize on this every-four-year money grab.
—
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
Peterborough United midfielder Matthew Garbett is crucial to this ploy, often drifting into wider positions or making selfless underlapping runs to help his side’s attack.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Heastie and his Democratic pals tried this in 2022 and the state courts rejected the ploy.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 June 2026
There had been political whispers in South Windsor since the November election about whether the decision disqualifying Amadasun was part of a Republican ploy to keep Democrats from achieving a council supermajority.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ploy
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
Peterborough United midfielder Matthew Garbett is crucial to this ploy, often drifting into wider positions or making selfless underlapping runs to help his side’s attack.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Heastie and his Democratic pals tried this in 2022 and the state courts rejected the ploy.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 June 2026
There had been political whispers in South Windsor since the November election about whether the decision disqualifying Amadasun was part of a Republican ploy to keep Democrats from achieving a council supermajority.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ploy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ploy
Noun
-
The ruse was surprisingly straightforward.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
17 June 2026
-
Tsietsi was delighted by the ruse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
On top of doggedly tracking a serial killer whose murder spree started decades earlier, our shrewd heroine uncovers a tangled workplace conspiracy that's as sinister as her prime suspect's motives.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
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Kenya is in the middle of a $45 billion investment spree on airports, ports, rail, and industrial zones, creating multiyear financing needs and transaction advisory fee opportunities.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Noun
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The plea agreement reasserts that Lillig engaged in a years-long scheme, but only includes details of one instance of Lillig defrauding the church of $500.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
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Warren's letter cites Department of Justice cases alleging third-party schemes diverted hundreds of millions in Nvidia chips, including H100s and H200s, to China.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Artists and couturiers are fond of the whimsy of trompe l’oeil, the trick of the eye, the illusion of reality.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
Cohesion is the trick, and color does most of the work.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ploy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ploy. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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