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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trick

3 of 3

adjective

as in tricky

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
If the fashion on the sidelines wasn't enough to hype up attendees, a lively dance performance to kick off the runway show did the trick. —Anika Reed, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025 If not, now's the time to add it to your arsenal of emergency hair tricks. —Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
But being tricked in matters of the heart is nothing new. —Essence, 14 Feb. 2025 The operation is the US’s latest attempt to crack down on scammers who use SMS texts, social media, and the internet to build rapport with unsuspecting users and trick them into investing in fake cryptocurrency. —Michael Kan, PCMAG, 13 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
  • 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
  • Is this to maintain the ruse of amateurism to go along with the players’ professed allegiance to and love of this particular university, however temporary?
    — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2025
Definition of ruse
Noun
  • While a looming hurricane spells doom for a sleepy Florida town, citizens carry on: two friends pull pranks and ponder life; another pair captures terrifying footage of the storm; a young woman harbors a deep crush.
    — Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Tom Green, a Y2K-era phenomenon most famous for his MTV prank show and surreal brand of comedy, is returning to the spotlight with a flurry of new projects for Amazon Prime Video.
    — Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of prank
Noun
  • Eating Chomps has become a faithful ritual for an average day.
    — Andrew Watman, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Listen to this article A Southern University student has died following an off-campus ritual with the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
    — David Matthews, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • Milan High School won the title in 1954 in the Indiana-only state championship and had been the smallest school to achieve that feat.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Even with the benefits of modern science, maintaining such a physique into his 30s represents a feat, too.
    — Henry Flynn, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of feat
Noun
  • According to Lalich, there’s one consistent trait among those who join cults, online or otherwise: idealism.
    — David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
  • But this pigment is not very efficient under today’s environmental conditions, so why cyanobacteria evolved this trait has remained a bit of a biological mystery.
    — David Bressan, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Definition of trait
Verb
  • Despite providing historical records and even materials for a documentary on Bad Boy Entertainment in 2021, Burrowes says he was once again deceived and left unpaid for his contributions.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Photo : Volkswagen No, your eyes do not deceive you, a Volkswagen did earn itself a spot on the list of the greatest luxury vehicles of all time.
    — Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of deceive
Adjective
  • This can be tricky in a random market, but this is no random market.
    — Clem Chambers, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Those negotiations are certain to be tricky after a campaign which exposed sharp divisions over migration and how to deal with the AfD in a country where far-right politics carry a particularly strong stigma due to its Nazi past.
    — Sarah Marsh and Matthias Williams, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of tricky
Noun
  • The 22-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury came after a yearslong federal investigation and alleged Madigan participated in an array of bribery and extortion schemes from 2011 to 2019 aimed at using the power of his office for personal gain.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
  • On Friday, Reardon tossed the case against Mario Juarez, the longtime political operative and twice-failed Oakland City Council candidate who claimed to have been the target of an extortion scheme by Price.
    — Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 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 9 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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