1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
a shady salesman who usually relies on a combination of quick thinking and guile
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2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a person so full of guile he can't even be trusted to give you the correct time of day
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Recent Examples of guile
Getting out doesn’t just require thumb-shredding dexterity, wit, and guile, but also — fittingly for its premise — patience.
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Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 June 2024
What Hemings secured for herself through Jefferson, with an unknowable titration of guile and disgust and affection, Luce secures similarly through Mike.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Avery had rolled out his deadly plans with all the guile and strategic know-how that his navy training had taught him.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Opponents had underestimated the grit and guile of someone who grew up poor, cut his teeth in the labor and immigrant rights movements and wasn’t about to leave the good life of politics just because a bunch of wokosos screamed at him.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for guile 
Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 June 2024
What Hemings secured for herself through Jefferson, with an unknowable titration of guile and disgust and affection, Luce secures similarly through Mike.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Avery had rolled out his deadly plans with all the guile and strategic know-how that his navy training had taught him.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Opponents had underestimated the grit and guile of someone who grew up poor, cut his teeth in the labor and immigrant rights movements and wasn’t about to leave the good life of politics just because a bunch of wokosos screamed at him.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for guile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guile
Noun
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There’s an unapologetic cunning at the heart of this series, and a mercurial spirit that’s as slippery as blood on an Italian marble floor.Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024
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Just as Nordlinger shows that the peacemakers and Nobel laureates whose work holds up best are those who brought specific conflicts to an end, the organizations in Bob's account that get the most done are those that pursue limited goals with cunning and patience.Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2012
Noun
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Langenberg’s sharp slider and 92-94 mph fastball lead a five-pitch mix, and his low arm slot adds some deception.Aaron Gleeman, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
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This democratization of deception tools means threats can come from anywhere—disgruntled employees, competitors or opportunistic individuals—not just sophisticated state actors or cybercrime rings.Joseph Ours, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Lies, deceit, infidelity, and the shape-shifting nature of truth, Wilder’s Witness for the Prosecution is infinitely rewatchable.Tomris Laffly, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
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This trait is also moderately linked to lower risk of personality disorders due to its association with prosocial behaviors and a low tendency toward deceit or exploitation.Mark Travers, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Americans encounter about $56 billion in fraud each year, the NSC said.Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2025
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Previous installments examined fraud in local governments, police vetting requirements and the water crisis in Kansas.Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near guile
Cite this Entry
“Guile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guile. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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