as in ruses
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
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 sleights
Curtsies, snubs, sleights and behavior becoming (or unbecoming) of a Regency woman must pass a certain muster, because the world of the play is dependent upon dramaturgical accuracy.
—
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Nov. 2025
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleights
Noun
-
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
Noun
-
Cherki is visibly excited by his spectators, eager to show off his tricks, until a coach comes into frame on the YouTube video and tells them their fun is over.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Cheo was a jokester and would play tricks on her, like pretending to be asleep, to lighten the mood.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The 40-year-old cooks up ways to make quarterbacks miserable in his sleep, devising schemes that are meant to lure as much as they are intended to confuse.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
-
More than 90 people, most with ties to the state’s Somali community, have been charged in fraud schemes targeting social services.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Samsung says the sensor targets users who want professional-grade imaging from mobile devices.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Speaking to gadgets is often faster than typing, but Amazon and Nirva also see their devices as another means to gather data that can provide insights about a user’s life, though doing so will surely raise privacy concerns.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleights. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share