ploys

noun

plural of ploy
1
as in ruses
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in sprees
a time or instance of carefree fun wanted one grand ploy through Europe before settling down and raising a family

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 ploys No tactical ploys or tweaks could save him. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 25 May 2026 Carr throws the event, Liberty shows up with bagpipers, but both ploys fall flat with Dina. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025 Their poverty, the fruit of Salieri’s malicious ploys, tests the limits of their endurance. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026 There are numerous other bold characters getting tangled up in new ploys aimed at giving them a step up in a world that wants to keep them tamped down. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026 Lyman Ward played Ferris' dad, whose busy work schedule kept him conveniently distracted from his teenage son's ploys. — Emma Urdangen, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026 After several unsuccessful ploys by his henchmen to save his life — including one that would be attempted post-hanging — Cardinella was down to one last try. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026 While court orders that block counterfeiters can help to safeguard intellectual property, sometimes those counterfeiters simply turn to other aliases and cybersquatting ploys to continue their activities. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026 There’s the White House and its malicious megaphone of mindlessness; the generative AI advocates and their pushy, pathetic ploys; the Major League Baseball owners and their dedication to self-destruction. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ploys
  1. ruses
  2. sprees
  3. schemes
  4. devices
  5. tricks
Noun
  • Such offenders will use all different ruses to distract the victim, such as claiming to be utility workers, tree trimmers, or handymen working on neighbors' houses.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Definition of ruses
Noun
  • Singer Bradley Nowell drunk-steered his band through sordid anthems, crashing through references to classic ska and dancehall songs, shouting out Rudimentary Peni and Geto Boys, and re-setting the murder ballads and drug sprees of outlaw country in suburban California.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026
  • The surge in pink slips started in 2023, when companies that had gone on hiring sprees during the COVID-19 pandemic began to cut back.
    — Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Definition of sprees
Noun
  • Such self-certification schemes have the obvious limitation of relying on authors to tell the truth.
    — Zoey Forbes, The Dial, 7 July 2026
  • Look at the jagged lines, the geometric shapes, the neon colour schemes, the tall collars, the billowing short sleeves.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of schemes
Noun
  • The Entertainment Thanks to high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi available on JSX flights, travelers are free to stream and browse directly on their personal devices.
    — Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • As more Florida seniors use wearables like continuous glucose monitors, remote blood pressure monitors, smartwatches and fitness trackers, concern grows about who has access to the data these devices collect.
    — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of devices
Noun
  • Here, two interior design experts share their go-to tricks for elevating your bathroom without overspending.
    — Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 8 July 2026
  • Connections often features red herrings and other tricks like wordplay.
    — Kris Holt, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of tricks

Browse Nearby Words

ploy
ploys
pluck
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Cite this Entry

“Ploys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ploys. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of ploys for Spanish Speakers

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