trick 1 of 3

noun

ˈtrik How to pronounce trick (audio)
Definition of tricknext
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

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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

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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

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4
as in feat
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness it'd be quite a trick to hit that target from here

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5
as in trait
an odd or peculiar habit a dog with the trick of eating cabbage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trick

2 of 3

verb

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

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trick

3 of 3

adjective

as in tricky

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of trick are artifice, feint, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, and wile. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

When could artifice be used to replace trick?

Although the words artifice and trick have much in common, artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When would feint be a good substitute for trick?

The words feint and trick can be used in similar contexts, but feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

In what contexts can maneuver take the place of trick?

While in some cases nearly identical to trick, maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

When can ruse be used instead of trick?

While the synonyms ruse and trick are close in meaning, ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

When is it sensible to use stratagem instead of trick?

In some situations, the words stratagem and trick 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 wile a more appropriate choice than trick?

The meanings of wile and trick largely overlap; however, wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

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
Noun
This cat's trick shouldn't be too much of a surprise as many videos of felines opening doors have flooded social media in recent years. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 Plenty of music lovers don’t care about jazz, and plenty of entertainment fans can’t be bothered watching magic tricks. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
Unfortunately, this has also led to more toll fee scams, as scammers take advantage of the high number of real toll transactions and create fake messages to trick people. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025 Diaz then found Salah inside the box where his touch tricked Konstantinos Mavropanos before the forward poked the ball to Gakpo. —Art De Roché, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
As Halloween approaches, investors seem fearful that good credit performance may be more trick than treat. —Telis Demos, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2022 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 See All Example Sentences for trick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trick
  1. ruse
  2. prank
  3. ritual
  4. feat
  5. trait
  6. deceive
  7. tricky
  8. scheme
Noun
  • Shane Millan admitted to forcing several women to expose their chest with the ruse of checking for tattoos A U.S. Border Patrol agent has admitted to forcing several migrant women to expose their breasts while processing their paperwork during their entry into the country in 2023.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The idea of doctors posing as podcasters to make men more suggestible is already a winner, but the language the doctors employ to complete the ruse ratchets up the comedy.
    — Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
Definition of ruse
Noun
  • Fagan, who died in 1969, wrote about his prank repeatedly in his column, which was called Mill Ends—named for the bits and pieces of wood left over at a lumber mill.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Keith may have been trying to communicate resentment or exert control through his pranks.
    — William Lambers, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of prank
Noun
  • McCray is accused of punching Wilson in the chest multiple times as part of a hazing ritual for the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, according to investigators.
    — Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Create rituals that become nonnegotiable: morning walks to school, Sunday pancakes or being the one who tucks them in at night.
    — Jennifer Kamara, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • The model initially debuted as an ultra-utilitarian tool watch boasting new feats of water resistance, shock resistance, and above all magnetic resistance.
    — Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2025
  • The track has now spent 32 weeks on the Hot 100, a feat that only one other South Korean artist has accomplished — and Jimin knows that act very well.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of feat
Noun
  • Their goal is to build a comprehensive database that answers many questions about the behavioral and genetic traits of our friendly felines.
    — Manuela López Restrepo, NPR, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Indeed, many, but not all, social and behavioral traits work this way.
    — Dalton Conley, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of trait
Verb
  • But appearances can be deceiving because there's a lot of bright side here.
    — Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Trips down memory lane, especially when Star Wars video games are involved, can be deceiving.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of deceive
Adjective
  • These volunteers may also assist with tax and tax-adjacent issues, like applying for name changes, a tricky but common issue.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
  • How parents and guardians can help Intervening in a teen’s relationship can be tricky, with adolescents tending to resist oversight from parents or caregivers.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of tricky
Noun
  • The military declares martial law in the town as Daniels and his fellow scientists race to develop a cure, even as the nefarious McClintock schemes to bomb Cedar Creek to smithereens to contain the virus.
    — Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The White Van is a kinetic heist thriller following a troubled young woman who is lured into a criminal scheme that leaves her wanted for bank robbery and hunted by a corrupt cop who doesn’t want justice – but wants the money for himself.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of scheme

Phrases Containing trick

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Cite this Entry

“Trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trick. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trick

Nglish: Translation of trick for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trick

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