as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
I couldn't tell whether her earlier poor-mouthing had been sincere or just a gambit to get me to pick up the dinner check
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Recent Examples of gambit
Crum’s performance in this Slam event will net him enough points to break into the PPA’s top 50, which unfortunately subjects him to a rankings/entry loophole the PPA enacted earlier this year in a gambit to force players to sign exclusivity contracts.
—
Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Kaplan worked in a similar role for PepsiCo’s beverage division, and often tested gambits that married the company’s popular sodas to specific programs and content.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 May 2025
The outside world, meanwhile, is about to boil over with its myriad lockdown frustrations, and, in a very bold gambit, Aster uses the real-life killing of George Floyd as the catalyst that brings bitter chaos to the middle of nowhere.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2025
So at least a few board members appointed by the mayor will need to stand up to Harden’s extreme pressure tactics and stay true to their belief that a schools boss should possess the appropriate credentials to keep the mayor’s gambit from succeeding.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Kaplan worked in a similar role for PepsiCo’s beverage division, and often tested gambits that married the company’s popular sodas to specific programs and content.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 May 2025
The outside world, meanwhile, is about to boil over with its myriad lockdown frustrations, and, in a very bold gambit, Aster uses the real-life killing of George Floyd as the catalyst that brings bitter chaos to the middle of nowhere.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2025
So at least a few board members appointed by the mayor will need to stand up to Harden’s extreme pressure tactics and stay true to their belief that a schools boss should possess the appropriate credentials to keep the mayor’s gambit from succeeding.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambit
Noun
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The Republicans’ billionaire populism has always been a ruse.—
Jim Miller,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 June 2025
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When Jonny and Dan were alone at camp, the two friends revealed that the entire story was a ruse!—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
30 May 2025
Noun
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At the end of February, a pedestrian was hit in West London by an ebike rider in West London — not a rental or sharing scheme, to be clear — and died after a month in hospital.—
Nicole Kobie,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Though details of how the gambling operation functioned have not been released, HSI Tampa said in its post the scheme generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2025
Noun
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However, there is a trick for using both of these operations together.—
Paul Smith-Goodson,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Or is that all part of a deeper trick, a wilder swing?—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gambit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambit. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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