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 Posing as a door-to-door accountant looking for clients just before noon Thursday, Suresh knocked on several doors to cover up his ruse before arriving at the victim’s house, according to police. Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 24 Sep. 2025 Police said McGriff employed the ruse to access the couple's Queens residence and then set it ablaze. Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 McGriff allegedly tried the ruse at a nearby house first but was turned away, Tisch said. Mark Morales, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025 As told to the Economist podcast Scam Inc, this was all a ruse. Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ruse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruse
Noun
  • The goofy tree-imitator Pokémon, whose rock typing has come off as a prank since its early second generation introduction, finally fulfills its destiny as a grass type thanks to this new battling phenomenon.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
  • These special relationships can be filled with everything from fun and joy to cruel pranks and teasing.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Everything can be used as a tool for good and to build, or for bad and destruction and deception.
    Marc Malkin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The question now is whether our ability to detect deception can evolve as fast as the tools that create it.
    Big Think, Big Think, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The buckets are used as a replacement for the standard cardboard Happy Meal box and can double as a candy pail to use for trick-or-treating on Halloween.
    Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Add them to movie-night snacks, candy bowls, or trick-or-treat bags for a fun, not-too-frightening addition to your Halloween spread.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In the end, the subterfuge with Priester served merely as a subplot.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The act of subterfuge was particularly common in the 2000s, amidst America’s unpopular foreign policy and the country’s invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.
    Vivian Song, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Night after night the stratagem was repeated successfully.
    Robert Easton, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
  • 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

Cite this Entry

“Ruse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruse. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ruse

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