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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guile
That was true at the City Ground, with the Forest’s captain’s cunning and guile repeatedly threatening to unlock Arsenal’s stubborn defence.
—
James McNicholas, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Whatever Van Nistelrooy has seen in training that has left him using the young Argentine so sparingly must be serious because the Brighton loanee is a player with guile and graft.
—Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
His characteristics are based on short, neat passes, providing guile to unpick deep-sitting blocks and work in tight areas.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 7 Feb. 2025
The former Watford midfielder brings energy to the press but lacks guile, and with his contract up at the end of the season, the 32-year-old looks like a stop-gap.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guile
James McNicholas, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Whatever Van Nistelrooy has seen in training that has left him using the young Argentine so sparingly must be serious because the Brighton loanee is a player with guile and graft.
—Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
His characteristics are based on short, neat passes, providing guile to unpick deep-sitting blocks and work in tight areas.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 7 Feb. 2025
The former Watford midfielder brings energy to the press but lacks guile, and with his contract up at the end of the season, the 32-year-old looks like a stop-gap.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guile
Noun
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Joey Merlo’s cunning, captivating On Set With Theda Bara first lit its murky lights at the Brick a year ago — and now, in a heartening example of institutional collaboration, the Transport Group and the Lucille Lortel Theatre have pitched in as presenters to bring it back for an encore performance.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
14 Feb. 2024
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For Mirren, the cunning and cruelty of Whitfield is a timely example of power corrupting absolutely.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This capability to detect deception should be a warning to everyone who relies on AI for critical thinking tasks.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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Not only do language barriers complicate your talking with her parents, but the deception has already begun — this girl has been regularly visiting your home under false pretenses.—
Kwame Anthony Appiah,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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As part of a review of the unit, police officials wrote that Brown, the detective assigned to the Shores case, did not investigate it for more than a year and left behind signs of suspicious activity or possible deceit.—
Ian Cummings,
Kansas City Star,
25 Feb. 2025
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When confronted, deceit turns their romantic evening into a darkly comedic nightmare.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But this would come as the result of a cutback in government spending that is currently categorized by Trump Administration officials as either waste, fraud, or non-essential in nature.—
Sal Gilbertie,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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Holmes was convicted on four counts of fraud after lying to Theranos investors about her blood testing technology's reliability and was later sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guile. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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