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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Recent Examples of ploy
The prosecutor argued Jelks’ police cooperation was a ploy to learn what investigators had on him.
—
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
With the cost of a national Big Game campaign rising significantly, some of Madison Avenue’s top denizens have tested the ploy.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
In another clip, the actress is joined poolside by Matthew McConaughey as the duo discuss whether or not football is a ploy to sell food.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
In the late 1800s, the Mountain House Hotel owners created a manmade version of Firefall by pushing a bonfire off Glacier Point’s edge in a ploy to attract tourism.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ploy
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
With the cost of a national Big Game campaign rising significantly, some of Madison Avenue’s top denizens have tested the ploy.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
In another clip, the actress is joined poolside by Matthew McConaughey as the duo discuss whether or not football is a ploy to sell food.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
In the late 1800s, the Mountain House Hotel owners created a manmade version of Firefall by pushing a bonfire off Glacier Point’s edge in a ploy to attract tourism.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ploy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ploy
Noun
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While the ruse was going, Schreiner lashed out at anyone who was skeptical.—
Kenneal Patterson,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
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In a ruse that, for lack of a more astute reference point here, feels very Don Draper-coded, Rose poses as the dear male soldier who died next to her in battle, figuring why waste the deeds to perfectly decent land, or his name.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One night just before Christmas in 2011, two local men set the club on fire after going on a crime spree in town, according to court documents.—
Dave Altimari,
Hartford Courant,
16 Feb. 2026
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In Lahore, though, the provincial government did a heavy promotional spree for Basant, with the face of the chief minister, Maryam Nawaz, appearing on billboards around the city.—
Betsy Joles,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This latest news comes just a few weeks after Mayweather filed a lawsuit against Showtime Networks and the former president of Showtime Sports, accusing the company of helping facilitate a fraud scheme that deprived him of roughly $340 million in earnings.—
Matt Schubert,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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Güell’s vision was to build an estate for affluent families—Gaudí planned 60 homes, a market, and gardens inspired by British parks (which explains the English spelling of the Catalan word parc), but the scheme never took off.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Wang Xindi won his first Olympic gold earlier today after landing a trick with five twists in the aerial event.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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From selecting the perfect bag, to using versatile pouches, and choosing your accessories methodically, these are my tips and tricks for personal item packing.—
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ploy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ploy. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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