as in deception
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
propagandists who use a kind of photographic subterfuge, superimposing one image on another to create a false "reality"
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Recent Examples of subterfuge
People generally might not realize the subterfuge at play.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The facility had been subject to sabotage and subterfuge by Israel for many years even before these attacks–including a computer virus that wrecked the centrifuges over a decade ago.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 26 June 2025
That phonetic play alone already signals one of the project’s theoretical subterfuges: that of exploring the most advanced conditions of the subject’s annihilation as a foundational precondition for artistic authority.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
When the magazine writer Dylan (Daryl Wein) and his girlfriend and photographer, Lucy (Abigail Cowen), descend upon the rocker Milo (Jack Farthing), there’s subterfuge afoot.
—Lisa Kennedy, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subterfuge
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The facility had been subject to sabotage and subterfuge by Israel for many years even before these attacks–including a computer virus that wrecked the centrifuges over a decade ago.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 26 June 2025
That phonetic play alone already signals one of the project’s theoretical subterfuges: that of exploring the most advanced conditions of the subject’s annihilation as a foundational precondition for artistic authority.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
When the magazine writer Dylan (Daryl Wein) and his girlfriend and photographer, Lucy (Abigail Cowen), descend upon the rocker Milo (Jack Farthing), there’s subterfuge afoot.
—Lisa Kennedy, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subterfuge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subterfuge
Noun
-
Advances in deception and seeking technologies will further shape this contest, as each side works to reduce the effectiveness of the other’s systems.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Minnesota’s Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson condemned the deception and affirmed how troubling the ambush was.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When does compromise become treachery or defeat?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer?—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Admissions of fraud by the Fox sisters, numerous exposures of trickery and growing secularism meant that interest in communicating with ghosts was rapidly dwindling.—
Alice Vernon
September 8,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The rooms are packed with high-tech trickery which creates alien-like landscapes.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Those concerns were laid bare in the discovery process for the defamation case that Dominion Voting Systems took against Fox over false suggestions of fraud and other chicanery aired by guests on the network.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
19 July 2025
-
Despite the chicanery, this is a solid deal for a phone that isn’t wildly different from the Pixel 9.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
In the fourth inning of that game, Berrios believed Raleigh was relaying pitches and manager John Schneider acknowledged the gamesmanship of figuring out pitches from the bases as being part of the game.—
Larry Fleisher,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
That warning went unheeded, and Wisconsin has seen only the beginning of what an alarming shift from thoughtful, principled judicial service toward bitter partisanship, personal attacks, and political gamesmanship is that have no place in court.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The American people are seeking solace and inspiration from its leaders, not pettiness and skullduggery.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Aug. 2025
-
The Poetry Society becomes the Autobiographical Association, whose ridiculous members write their memoirs under the supervision of the director, a snooty character clearly conniving to use their confessions for some sort of skulduggery.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This environment of mass detentions, human rights violations and secrecy has created a lucrative side business for corrupt official who prey on family members of the imprisoned.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Some employees choose to keep their relationship secret because such relationships are banned in their organization, others choose secrecy for privacy reasons or because the relationship is extramarital.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subterfuge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subterfuge. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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