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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gambit
Then there’s a twist and reveal that becomes a canonical betrayal completely unsupported by coherent motivation, and the whole gambit falls apart.
—
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 19 July 2025
Third, China’s risky 2020 border gambit offered a pretext for India and the United States to deepen cooperation in the sensitive areas of intelligence sharing, defense coproduction, and space collaboration.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 16 July 2025
The company’s gambit opens a new chapter in the decadelong saga to redevelop the vast stretch of land along the North Branch of the Chicago River, sandwiched between Bucktown and Lincoln Park.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
Next season’s Eastern Conference will be ground zero of the NBA’s parity gambit, molded into the shape of competition the league set in motion over the past half-decade.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 19 July 2025
Third, China’s risky 2020 border gambit offered a pretext for India and the United States to deepen cooperation in the sensitive areas of intelligence sharing, defense coproduction, and space collaboration.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 16 July 2025
The company’s gambit opens a new chapter in the decadelong saga to redevelop the vast stretch of land along the North Branch of the Chicago River, sandwiched between Bucktown and Lincoln Park.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
Next season’s Eastern Conference will be ground zero of the NBA’s parity gambit, molded into the shape of competition the league set in motion over the past half-decade.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambit
Noun
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No, because the medic — work requirements are a ruse.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
13 July 2025
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Ben Affleck's Argo is a real film about the ruse of making a fake film to help rescue real-life hostages in Iran.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
Noun
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The scheme requires drivers to pay a fee—based on the time and duration of their visit and their vehicle type—to enter the lower part of Manhattan, from the southern end of Central Park to the city’s financial district.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
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Singer took in more than $25 million from his clients as part of the scheme, paid bribes totaling more than $7 million and used more than $15 million for his own benefit, according to prosecutors.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Noun
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From fashion tips and tricks to tween and teen hair and nails, our back-to-school style guide has a little bit of everything.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
29 July 2025
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Over the years, Johnson has learned some tricks to help acquaint himself with new colleagues, from researching the background of management or coaches or looking up teammates on Madden to know a bit about their game.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gambit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambit. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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