1
as in magic
the art or skill of performing tricks or illusions for entertainment
the illusionist's show is an entertaining blend of legerdemain and over-the-top showmanship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in deception
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
the reduction of the deficit is due in part to financial legerdemain that masks the true costs of running the government
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of legerdemain
No matter how Congress formally scores the price of extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as other Trump initiatives, accounting legerdemain can’t make fiscal reality disappear.
—
Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
This legerdemain enabled Bragg to circumvent the two-year misdemeanor statute of limitations — in other words, the time to charge this stale case, which is based on seven-year-old bookkeeping entries, lapsed in 2019.
—The Editors, National Review, 29 May 2024
Serious people should know what an older version of antisemitic denialism was all about: a steady stream of factual nitpicks, logical inversions and rhetorical legerdemain meant to obfuscate and deny the greatest crime in history.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024
Any such legislative legerdemain would be an unwarranted assault to circumvent the caps.
—State Senator Stephen Harding, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for legerdemain
Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
This legerdemain enabled Bragg to circumvent the two-year misdemeanor statute of limitations — in other words, the time to charge this stale case, which is based on seven-year-old bookkeeping entries, lapsed in 2019.
—The Editors, National Review, 29 May 2024
Serious people should know what an older version of antisemitic denialism was all about: a steady stream of factual nitpicks, logical inversions and rhetorical legerdemain meant to obfuscate and deny the greatest crime in history.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024
Any such legislative legerdemain would be an unwarranted assault to circumvent the caps.
—State Senator Stephen Harding, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for legerdemain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legerdemain
Noun
-
The TheraFace Depuffing Wand works its temperature-changing magic to banish puffiness and add brightness.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Harry Potter Quidditch Practice Apart from watching the films and rereading the books, another way to relive the magic of Harry Potter is by recreating iconic scenes via Lego builds.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But there’s some deception at play.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Stories of similar scenes are sweeping Puerto Rico—raids without court orders, marked by deception and racial profiling, often regardless of legal status.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Corona del Mar used some trickery to take the lead on the ensuing possession.—
Michael Huntley,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Or, some serious internal trickery.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The trial was a kangaroo circus packed with sophism, subterfuge, and courtroom chicanery.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Maybe Payton’s running the best preseason subterfuge campaign ever to make Estime look bad on film.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
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When does compromise become treachery or defeat?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer?—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The trial was a kangaroo circus packed with sophism, subterfuge, and courtroom chicanery.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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Those concerns were laid bare in the discovery process for the defamation case that Dominion Voting Systems took against Fox over false suggestions of fraud and other chicanery aired by guests on the network.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
19 July 2025
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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And though O’Neil, who has been inside, says the building itself is in no shape for skullduggery, that doesn’t mean said skullduggery isn’t happening elsewhere.—
A.K. Whitney,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
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The American people are seeking solace and inspiration from its leaders, not pettiness and skullduggery.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Legerdemain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legerdemain. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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