ploy

noun

ˈplȯi 

1

: escapade, frolic

2

a

: a tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent

b

: a devised or contrived move : stratagem

a ploy to get her to open the door

—Robert B. Parker

Synonyms

• artifice
• device
• dodge
• fetch
• flimflam
• gambit
• gimmick
• jig
• juggle
• knack
• play
• ruse
• scheme
• shenanigan
• sleight
• stratagem
• trick
• wile

Examples of ploy in a Sentence

Her story about being sick is only a ploy to get you to give her money.

asking me to take her shopping turned out to be a ploy to get me to the surprise party

Recent Examples on the Web

As series showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed to Deadline in December, the fight for Virgin River’s clinic will be a major storyline in Season 7, with the investigation into Doc’s actions while saving a patient as a ploy for the clinic to be taken over by a large hospital network. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025

Trump's aspirations for the island could be a ploy to push policy changes such as NATO members beefing up their military spending following his distancing from the alliance. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025

But: Was this all a ploy to gin up interest in a new album Tory is allegedly releasing this Friday, March 7? —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2025

The ploy broke a decades-long taboo in German politics. —Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably from employ

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ploy

• counter-ploy
• marketing ploy

Rhymes for ploy

• boy
• choy
• coy
• croy
• foy
• hoi
• hoy
• joy
• loy
• oy
• soy
• toy

Kids Definition

ploy

noun

ˈplȯi 

: a trick designed to embarrass or upset an opponent