1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
her husband used every trick in the book to get out of appearing in his parish's fashion show
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
thought that gluing the silver dollar to the floor and watching him struggle to pick it up would be a good trick
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ritual
a usual manner of behaving or doing
that deadbeat is up to his usual tricks: once again he's claiming the check is in the mail
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in feat
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness
it'd be quite a trick to hit that target from here
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in trait
an odd or peculiar habit
a dog with the trick of eating cabbage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
you tricked me into thinking my ex wasn't coming to the party tonight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tricky
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 trick
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
26 June 2026
Burch said one trend popular with Kansas City brides at the moment would do the trick.
—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
Donovan McCarty,
The Conversation,
22 June 2026
While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
—
Gabriel Sama,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
Jennifer Jolly,
USA TODAY,
28 Oct. 2021
And arguably, given the variety of cask types used by the distillery, Angel’s Envy is actually a multi-trick pony.
—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
11 June 2021
See All Example Sentences for trick
Noun
When Rebecca disappears while completing a spy mission of her own, Wolfe dusts off his past tools and tricks to rescue her.
—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
26 June 2026
Burch said one trend popular with Kansas City brides at the moment would do the trick.
—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
Verb
Once stamped and indexed, the deed appears legitimate and can easily trick desperate buyers, investors, financial institutions and even police officers, lawyers and judges.
—
Donovan McCarty,
The Conversation,
22 June 2026
While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
—
Gabriel Sama,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
Adjective
If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house.
—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA TODAY,
28 Oct. 2021
And arguably, given the variety of cask types used by the distillery, Angel’s Envy is actually a multi-trick pony.
—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
11 June 2021
See All Example Sentences for trick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trick
Noun
-
Early the next morning, the authorities were at Burdette’s door, this time without a ruse.
-
Of course, this could all be a literally and figurative swift ruse on the part of the Miss Americana superstar and her Super Bowl-winning fiancé.
Noun
-
Those ticket sales rank as the worst opening in the prank comedy series that’s all about risking life, limb and dignity.
-
Police used the incident to warn the public that pranks involving Orbeez guns, airsoft guns, or other toy firearms can provoke dangerous reactions and lead to criminal charges.
Noun
-
Toni and Shakira appeared to be in trouble after one of the show’s most meta humiliation rituals, in which the group is treated to a showing of clips of themselves having private conversations about their castmates and lovers.
-
Because Capricorn is an Earth sign, Thomas shared rituals connected to nature may feel especially powerful during this lunar phase.
Noun
-
The 31-year-old is continuing to make his case as one of the best players in baseball history, achieving unprecedented feats as a rare two-way player who has been dominant both as a hitter and a pitcher.
-
Then the cell performs an astounding, microscopic feat of strength.
Noun
-
The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.
-
Caretakers manage breeding programs to preserve their distinctive traits, including their long horns and rich brown coloring, a shade associated with royalty, maturity and stability.
Verb
-
Appearance, though, can be deceiving, but luckily, this shed is still packed with smart features and a clever design that will keep all your belongings safe.
-
Here, however, the joke is that appearances can be deceiving — or to be more specific, that trying to act like a character in a movie is a reckless, unwise thing to do.
Adjective
-
Keeping money out of the Cuban government’s hands while helping the Cuban people is tricky, said Aymee Valdivia, an attorney at Holland & Knight who advises companies doing business in Cuba.
-
Celeb-Inspired Fourth of July Looks Fourth of July dressing can be surprisingly tricky.
Noun
-
Prosecutors allege Eidleh, along with other members of the scheme, solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from individuals and companies seeking approval to operate fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program sites.
-
This has fueled the ‘spend not sell’ movement, in which builders seek to familiarize users with earning and spending their bitcoin rather than trading and falling for get-rich-quick schemes.
Cite this Entry
“Trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trick. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
