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wile

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wile different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of wile are artifice, feint, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, and trick. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

When can artifice be used instead of wile?

The synonyms artifice and wile are sometimes interchangeable, but artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When would feint be a good substitute for wile?

The words feint and wile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

When is maneuver a more appropriate choice than wile?

The words maneuver and wile can be used in similar contexts, but maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

When could ruse be used to replace wile?

Although the words ruse and wile have much in common, ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

Where would stratagem be a reasonable alternative to wile?

In some situations, the words stratagem and wile 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 it sensible to use trick instead of wile?

While in some cases nearly identical to wile, trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

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 wile
Noun
The crowd is made up of hard-core skiers and riders undeterred by the wiles of nature or the perils of big-mountain skiing. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2025 Several leaders have put out appeals to get funding for salaries related to the PEPFAR program, wile others have terminated staff running their HIV programs, the head of a non-profit told the Miami Herald. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
Will Smith stars as a penniless Anthony Ramos lookalike fish named Oscar, who wiles away his days scrubbing cetaceans’ tongues clean in the 'Whale Wash,' fantasizing about the good life. Them, 23 Dec. 2024 Disney is betting travelers will be wiling to pay a premium for an elevated Disney experience. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 9 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for wile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wile
Noun
  • The police investigation that followed included surveillance and a ruse where investigators answered local prostitution ads and were directed to the home.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
  • But this ruse is like the broader trans movement itself, which obliges you to deny the evidence dangling before your own eyes.
    The Editors, National Review, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Recently recovered emails, messages, photos, and videos reveal the depths of the deception.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 June 2025
  • While this kind of deception is already possible manually, AI agents can scale it rapidly, increasing both the risk and potential volume of fraud.
    Aleksandra Bal, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • There is something magical about a firefly that fascinates young and old alike.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 June 2025
  • Reddit users were fascinated by the strange-but-smart hospitality hack, with one even inspired to turn it into a trivia question.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
Noun
  • However, there is a trick for using both of these operations together.
    Paul Smith-Goodson, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Thalberg was a wunderkind, and one of the tricks of being a wunderkind is to leverage a youthful aura—selling the Kind to increase the Wunder.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • The six-parter, to debut July 14, follows six groups of friends, and six historical cases of murder and treachery among them.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2025
  • But amid the bloodbaths and treacheries, Westeros still penciled in time for a little romance — some more compelling than others (Jon and Ygritte > Jon and Daenerys).
    Tyler Aquilina, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In the video, Chelsie Dahl shared her son's nightly ritual that has charmed viewers worldwide.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
  • Bo Peep Bo Peep is a flirt who likes to charm the other toys.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • Several officers who either pleaded guilty or were convicted by a jury for their role in the corruption scheme had their felony convictions tossed out in favor of misdemeanors amid allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025
  • While Google displays only the scheme and host name of the site the ad links to (for instance, https://www.microsoft.com), the ad appends parameters to the path to the right of that address.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • In a nod to Chicago’s long history of bartender magicians, bars will be set up as much for trickery as for cocktails.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
  • Medicaid fraud patterns continue to proliferate, escaping the notice of human workers doing their best to spot such trickery.
    Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wile. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

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