as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
The seemingly benign questioning was all just a gambit to get them to fess up to their wrongdoing.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 gambit
And yet, in spite of its Clark and Dearborn gambit and an hourlong finale that ties far too many bows on top of bows, Season 5 works because its artistic machinations are rooted in character over plot, and the characters are what matters.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 June 2026
Were the legal gambit to prevail, Mangione could get off with a conviction of first-degree manslaughter and a significantly lighter prison term.
—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2026
His most successful gambit was the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, the fight held in Kinshasa in 1974 between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
That gambit ended with a whimper on Friday when the court ordered Baldoni to pay Lively’s legal fees but rejected her bid for damages.
—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 June 2026
Were the legal gambit to prevail, Mangione could get off with a conviction of first-degree manslaughter and a significantly lighter prison term.
—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2026
His most successful gambit was the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, the fight held in Kinshasa in 1974 between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
That gambit ended with a whimper on Friday when the court ordered Baldoni to pay Lively’s legal fees but rejected her bid for damages.
—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambit
Noun
-
At face value, a $10 million rental is an exorbitant fee for a ruse.
-
Such offenders will use all different ruses to distract the victim, such as claiming to be utility workers, tree trimmers, or handymen working on neighbors' houses.
Noun
-
The Empire State Building frequently switches up its lighting scheme to commemorate special events throughout the year.
-
The other company whose shares were manipulated in the scheme, E-Waste, had an even higher market cap at some point, despite being nothing more than a shell company.
Noun
-
The trick is to widen your view deliberately, one angle at a time, because each new angle surfaces buyers the last one missed.
-
Now, as heat waves wash over cities from London to Palm Springs, people are embracing this tried-and-true trick with the Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad.
Cite this Entry
“Gambit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambit. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
