1
as in ruses
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 pranks
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 rituals
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 feats
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 traits
an odd or peculiar habit
a dog with the trick of eating cabbage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fools
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tricks
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
Maybe the tricks learned during this trial can help drivers form some better, cheaper habits to continue when gas prices inevitably decrease again.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Here, a fellow’s card tricks turning to flames are as unremarkable as the knitting granny in an adjacent pew.
—Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2026
An airplane and fire truck collide at LaGuardia, a gubernatorial debate gets canceled, and March Madness pulls off a few tricks.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
His inner ears were playing tricks with his sense of orientation… His flight path into the water is consistent with what is known as a graveyard spiral.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Ball, who has been on a heater of late, set the tone early by showing off his full bag of tricks — shooting 3s off one foot, throwing no-look dimes and outleaping opponents for rebounds, seemingly toying with the Kings at times.
—CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Call of Duty Deal Jumping into Black Ops 7 feels like revisiting an old friend with a few new tricks.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Through that rigorous daily routine, Chaser didn’t just learn tricks.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Oppo has some additional fun software tricks up its sleeve.
—Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
Specific to the Celimax formula, the Vita A Retinal Shot contains matrixyl 3000, an anti-aging peptide, that tricks your skin to produce more collagen, leading to firmer, tighter looking skin.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026
Freeing up floor space by mounting items on walls or using floating furniture tricks the eye into seeing a larger room.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 9 Mar. 2026
Based on the real-life heroine’s memoir from a few years earlier, the movie centered on an Iranian man who tricks his American wife into going to the country and traps her there, using their child as a hostage.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
So Hero, sadly, poor thing was subjected to his uncle’s terrible bad dad tricks.
—Max Gao, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2026
Wasps are territorial, so hanging a fake nest near a problem area tricks them into thinking another colony has already claimed the space.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
One of the dangers of the Midwestern climate is a late-winter warm spell that thaws the soil and tricks bulbs and other plants into sprouting too early.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Noun
Tiffany has a few tricks up its sleeve that aren’t jewelry or limited-edition chronograph, one of which is this shapely teapot.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
Maybe the tricks learned during this trial can help drivers form some better, cheaper habits to continue when gas prices inevitably decrease again.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Here, a fellow’s card tricks turning to flames are as unremarkable as the knitting granny in an adjacent pew.
—Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2026
An airplane and fire truck collide at LaGuardia, a gubernatorial debate gets canceled, and March Madness pulls off a few tricks.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
His inner ears were playing tricks with his sense of orientation… His flight path into the water is consistent with what is known as a graveyard spiral.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Ball, who has been on a heater of late, set the tone early by showing off his full bag of tricks — shooting 3s off one foot, throwing no-look dimes and outleaping opponents for rebounds, seemingly toying with the Kings at times.
—CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Call of Duty Deal Jumping into Black Ops 7 feels like revisiting an old friend with a few new tricks.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Through that rigorous daily routine, Chaser didn’t just learn tricks.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Pitt sometimes tricks us about a character by giving us one perspective on them for a long time before revealing something totally different.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Oppo has some additional fun software tricks up its sleeve.
—Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
Specific to the Celimax formula, the Vita A Retinal Shot contains matrixyl 3000, an anti-aging peptide, that tricks your skin to produce more collagen, leading to firmer, tighter looking skin.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026
Freeing up floor space by mounting items on walls or using floating furniture tricks the eye into seeing a larger room.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 9 Mar. 2026
Based on the real-life heroine’s memoir from a few years earlier, the movie centered on an Iranian man who tricks his American wife into going to the country and traps her there, using their child as a hostage.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
So Hero, sadly, poor thing was subjected to his uncle’s terrible bad dad tricks.
—Max Gao, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2026
Wasps are territorial, so hanging a fake nest near a problem area tricks them into thinking another colony has already claimed the space.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
One of the dangers of the Midwestern climate is a late-winter warm spell that thaws the soil and tricks bulbs and other plants into sprouting too early.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricks
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
-
Folks would dip dresses and suits in glowing, phosphorescent paint and wear them around town performing various pranks or artistic displays.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Some in the art world speculate Banksy orchestrated the unmasking himself as a publicity stunt, consistent with his history of subversive pranks and satire.—
Laurie Kellman,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the Middle Ages, local churchgoers whispered of clannish Jews poisoning wells to kill Christian children and steal their blood for their rituals.—
Mike Rothschild,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Some of the movie is an acid satire of pre-wedding rituals — like the first dance that Charlie and Emma are dutifully rehearsing for, with a ridiculously stern taskmaster of a coach.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Who knows what inventions, ideas or technological feats will be imagined in gyms or on surfboards as these three Southern California teenagers unleash their brain power and love for having fun on the East Coast.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
This week, on charts dated March 28, Harry Styles, John Summit and Rohaan, and Milky and Mall Grab achieve new feats.—
Xander Zellner,
Billboard,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
How a child responds to peer pressure can highlight different traits.—
Amy Morin,
Parents,
3 Apr. 2026
-
These are seven quietly powerful traits that the most emotionally secure people share.—
Jessica Weiss,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
During the Apollo missions, astronauts used urine collection and transfer devices, as well as plastic bags taped to the buttocks to collect feces.—
ByMary Kekatos,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Our bill will ban the federal government from buying and operating these devices made in countries that wish us harm.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Breakfast Ride and Cowboy Cookout are two unique dining experiences the whole family will love, and adult guests will appreciate the new spa planned for late 2027.—
Julie Bielenberg,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
More than 200 auction items donated by foundation members, local businesses and artists include antiques, artwork, garden supplies and experiences, the release said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tricks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricks. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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