ruse

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ruse different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of ruse are artifice, feint, maneuver, stratagem, trick, and wile. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

When would artifice be a good substitute for ruse?

The meanings of artifice and ruse largely overlap; however, artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When is it sensible to use feint instead of ruse?

While in some cases nearly identical to ruse, feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

When might maneuver be a better fit than ruse?

In some situations, the words maneuver and ruse are roughly equivalent. However, maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

When can stratagem be used instead of ruse?

The synonyms stratagem and ruse are sometimes interchangeable, but stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

When could trick be used to replace ruse?

The words trick and ruse can be used in similar contexts, but trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

When is wile a more appropriate choice than ruse?

Although the words wile and ruse have much in common, wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

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 ruse Those ruses have spurred restrictive voting laws across the country, despite the failure over the years of anybody finding fraud happening beyond small and rare instances — and certainly not at the scale of deciding major elections. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2025 For reasons too eye-rolling to explain, Min and Angela must marry and commit to the ruse when Ja-Young arrives to investigate whether her grandson’s fiancée is a gold-digger. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025 Following her interview with Meghan Markle, and other recent ruses, Winfrey lost all credibility by stumping for presidential candidate Kamala Harris and denying her remuneration, thus denying her true motives. Armond White, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025 Richie buys Harry's ruse regarding Tommy's murder, but there's a catch. Matt Cabral, EW.com, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ruse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruse
Noun
  • The abysmal prank — which ran over several toe-curling episodes — became emblematic of a season that couldn’t get off the ground.
    Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2025
  • According to Gothamist, which spoke with a Collegiate faculty member who wished to remain anonymous, this year's senior prank — a tradition at the Upper West Side school in Manhattan — mimicked a border patrol checkpoint, offending several students, teachers and administrators.
    David Chiu, People.com, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • As an escaped convict posing as a beloved preacher, and as his gentle, upright twin, Robeson embodies a devastating split between appearance and truth, and whose uncanny doubling plays out in a community shaped by racial violence, spiritual deception, and economic precarity.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
  • Ellie, however, cannot abide Joel’s deception, and interrupts to tell the truth to Gail, who then slaps Joel and tells him to leave.
    Adam B. Vary, Variety, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Rea allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings, improving to 4-0 with another no-flash performance that did the trick.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
  • Label tricks, regional cues and color considerations for better picking at the wine shop.
    Rachel King, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • The line that the AI isn’t forming a personal opinion is a kind of sneaky subterfuge.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
  • Even under sweeping Western sanctions, Russia was able to stay afloat through subterfuge and with support from allies like China and North Korea.
    Linggong Kong, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • For people like Soriano, however, the elections are about more than political stratagem and determining which family holds the most nominal power.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 13 May 2025
  • The scene is straight out of a stratagem by Pier Paolo Pasolini (Bertolucci’s mentor), but Palud takes it literally without applying comparable ideological critique to the rest of her film.
    Armond White, National Review, 28 Mar. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Ruse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruse. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ruse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!