as in deceptions
an act that is used to fool someone
His act was just a clever ruse to get me to go out with him.
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Recent Examples of ruses
The New York Colored American reported that some offers of short-term work for Black men — moving livestock to or from Kentucky, for example — were ruses that ended with kidnappings.
—
Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Many suspect a spam call and don't pick up the phone, leading foundation staff to sometimes devise ruses.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Episode 4 finds both Ellen and Julia throwing themselves headlong into plans that require them to keep up major ruses.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Aug. 2025
Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Many suspect a spam call and don't pick up the phone, leading foundation staff to sometimes devise ruses.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Episode 4 finds both Ellen and Julia throwing themselves headlong into plans that require them to keep up major ruses.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruses
Noun
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Of course, the pranks are all in good fun, with owners keeping things safe and playful.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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According to a 2025 roundup of April Fools’ food promotions by the New York Post, several national brands followed Dunkin’s lead by offering tangible rewards instead of traditional pranks.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Payment processors grew suspicious despite Cotter’s tricks, and by 2020 the US Postal Inspection Service had launched an investigation.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
13 Apr. 2026
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The mother-daughter duo coordinated in shades of cream and brown, with Charlotte even borrowing some of her mom's styling tricks (both wore the British brand Self-Portrait, for example).—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruses. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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