1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
must have employed some sophisticated sleight to con that wary couple out of their money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ability
mental skill or quickness
a brilliant new theory that pays tribute to his remarkable sleight of mind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in agility
ease and grace in physical activity
a muscle-bound weight lifter known more for his might than his sleight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sleight
Unlike his career in sleight-of-hand magic, Groban will defy those wildest dreams on May 6, when he will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
—
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 6 May 2026
This felt personal, like the Wolverines weren’t merely trying to beat the Wildcats but use the Wildcats as some punching bag to eradicate a ghost, or vindicate some sleight.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Many seemingly complex magic tricks rely on a simple mix of old-fashioned sleight-of-hand and misdirection.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 Apr. 2026
The short-seller set out its allegations on March 17, blasting out a report to journalists and social media that claimed SoFi had not actually sold a $312 million loan package but kept it on the company’s books with a sleight-of-hand financing arrangement.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleight
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 6 May 2026
This felt personal, like the Wolverines weren’t merely trying to beat the Wildcats but use the Wildcats as some punching bag to eradicate a ghost, or vindicate some sleight.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Many seemingly complex magic tricks rely on a simple mix of old-fashioned sleight-of-hand and misdirection.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 Apr. 2026
The short-seller set out its allegations on March 17, blasting out a report to journalists and social media that claimed SoFi had not actually sold a $312 million loan package but kept it on the company’s books with a sleight-of-hand financing arrangement.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleight
Noun
-
The ruse was surprisingly straightforward.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
17 June 2026
-
Tsietsi was delighted by the ruse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Smith helped catalyze the 49ers’ historic turnaround during his rookie season in 2011 thanks to his ability to disrupt quarterbacks.—
Michael McGough,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
-
Anthropic has said Mythos represents a danger to the public because of its ability to find bugs in computer code, which could be exploited by malicious actors.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Of course, the 3,520-pound (dry weight) hybrid has muscle, rocket-like acceleration, and benchmark agility the class demands.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
-
But relevance now requires a good degree of agility.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Artists and couturiers are fond of the whimsy of trompe l’oeil, the trick of the eye, the illusion of reality.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
Cohesion is the trick, and color does most of the work.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
But in mid-June, Turner was already a three-win player, combining his usual offensive prowess with an unexpected improvement with the glove.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Our brain’s fortune-telling prowess also helps us in social situations.—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The plea agreement reasserts that Lillig engaged in a years-long scheme, but only includes details of one instance of Lillig defrauding the church of $500.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
-
Warren's letter cites Department of Justice cases alleging third-party schemes diverted hundreds of millions in Nvidia chips, including H100s and H200s, to China.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Kamada said the talent and experience of his teammates helped Japan avoid being discouraged after falling behind for a second time.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
-
The talent was clearly there, but there was always a stumbling block.—
Mark Anderson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Authorities rely on an electronic arsenal of radio frequency scanners, radars, and listening and optical devices and jammers, as well as their own set of drones, to track down drone operators below.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
The Big Think website has been optimized to work with all major browsers and devices.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleight. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
