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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
That seems like an awfully optimistic reading of Trump’s strategic wiles. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025 The crowd is made up of hard-core skiers and riders undeterred by the wiles of nature or the perils of big-mountain skiing. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 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
  • The police investigation that followed included surveillance and a ruse where investigators answered local prostitution ads and were directed to the home.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
  • But this ruse is like the broader trans movement itself, which obliges you to deny the evidence dangling before your own eyes.
    The Editors, National Review, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • This stylization gives her a veneer of being disarmingly kind; but ultimately, is a form of deception that caused Sophie to fatally trust this person.
    Tiffany Leigh, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, the overnight mission relied on deception, aerial refueling, and near-total radio silence to hit Iran's Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities—sites that had withstood weeks of sustained Israeli attacks.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • The writer was fascinated with sharks after spotting them during childhood fishing trips with his father on Nantucket.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 20 June 2025
  • That stuff about the Gunn Mummy fascinates me though.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • This isn't the first time the former Sports Illustrated model has shared parenting tips and tricks.
    Clare Fisher, People.com, 23 June 2025
  • The magic trick is that Sunny gradually learned how to distinguish its POV from the characters’, showing empathy not only for the Gang’s victims, but also the Gang itself.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • The six-parter, to debut July 14, follows six groups of friends, and six historical cases of murder and treachery among them.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2025
  • But amid the bloodbaths and treacheries, Westeros still penciled in time for a little romance — some more compelling than others (Jon and Ygritte > Jon and Daenerys).
    Tyler Aquilina, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Bo Peep Bo Peep is a flirt who likes to charm the other toys.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 18 June 2025
  • In the video, Chelsie Dahl shared her son's nightly ritual that has charmed viewers worldwide.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • That will start with sharpening his knowledge of Kelly’s scheme.
    Tashan Reed, New York Times, 18 June 2025
  • While Google displays only the scheme and host name of the site the ad links to (for instance, https://www.microsoft.com), the ad appends parameters to the path to the right of that address.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • That trickery only works when the players understand the layers of the system on a detailed level.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 21 June 2025
  • This trickery is a cost-saving measure in that the orchid does not have to manufacture nectar or prodigious amounts of expensive pollen.
    The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wile. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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