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wile

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wile different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of wile are artifice, feint, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, and trick. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

When can artifice be used instead of wile?

The synonyms artifice and wile are sometimes interchangeable, but artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When would feint be a good substitute for wile?

The words feint and wile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

When is maneuver a more appropriate choice than wile?

The words maneuver and wile can be used in similar contexts, but maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

When could ruse be used to replace wile?

Although the words ruse and wile have much in common, ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

Where would stratagem be a reasonable alternative to wile?

In some situations, the words stratagem and wile are roughly equivalent. However, stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

When is it sensible to use trick instead of wile?

While in some cases nearly identical to wile, trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

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 wile
Noun
And if veteran wiles is not enough, Golden State (48-34) is not above a little rough play too. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025 Finn Bjork totaled 16 points and 12 rebounds wile Dom Taylor poured in 18 points as No. 6 Somerset Berkley advanced to the Division 2 State title game with a 66-58 win over No. 7 Masconomet on Monday night at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium on the campus of UMass Boston. Matt Feld, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
Will Smith stars as a penniless Anthony Ramos lookalike fish named Oscar, who wiles away his days scrubbing cetaceans’ tongues clean in the 'Whale Wash,' fantasizing about the good life. Them, 23 Dec. 2024 Disney is betting travelers will be wiling to pay a premium for an elevated Disney experience. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 9 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for wile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wile
Noun
  • Today’s shortsighted, sellout city politicians are killing the golden goose under the ruse that affordable housing is the be-all and the end-all of life in San Diego.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The agent, keeping up the ruse, continued to push her on the phone for several minutes.
    Lauren del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
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
Verb
  • But the idea has always fascinated him.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
  • So that image has always fascinated me.
    Maria Reva September 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Thus, Last Rites tries a new trick, with the doll growing in size and chasing Judy down a hallway, in a sequence that is strangely reminiscent of Five Nights At Freddy's.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Grandma's favorite time-saving trick is to rely on the trusty the slow-cooker to make sweet, tender onions that require little to no stirring.
    Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 9 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
Verb
  • Cinephiles will be charmed, and writers and directors will recognize Linklater’s chops.
    Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Del Toro has charmed the Lido before, winning the festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion, with 2017’s The Shape of Water, which ultimately went on to scoop four Oscars, including Best Picture and Director.
    Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Paul looks the part and Savaiinaea has the footwork and athleticism needed to thrive in this zone-blocking scheme.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Park’s character in Confidence Queen Park sets one clever trap after another, fitting each scheme into a larger puzzle.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Wile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wile. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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