as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
tried various stratagems to get the cat into the carrier, but the feisty feline was wise to them all
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Recent Examples of stratagem
The competitors are in a trancelike state, building a stratagem.
—
Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Not according to Hinch and Our Man Petzold, who reports the strategy is part of the Tigers’ plan to maximize the effectiveness of their opener/bulk-relief stratagem.
—Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 23 Sep. 2024
Hindenburg, in his mid-eighties and growing weak, became fed up with Schleicher’s Machiavellian stratagems and dispensed with him as Chancellor.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
In this scheme, the batteries provide the burst of power needed to take off, a stratagem that lets technicians tune the fuel-burning engine to run at its ideal rate.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 June 2018
See All Example Sentences for stratagem
Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Not according to Hinch and Our Man Petzold, who reports the strategy is part of the Tigers’ plan to maximize the effectiveness of their opener/bulk-relief stratagem.
—Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 23 Sep. 2024
Hindenburg, in his mid-eighties and growing weak, became fed up with Schleicher’s Machiavellian stratagems and dispensed with him as Chancellor.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
In this scheme, the batteries provide the burst of power needed to take off, a stratagem that lets technicians tune the fuel-burning engine to run at its ideal rate.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 June 2018
See All Example Sentences for stratagem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stratagem
Noun
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Police said McGriff employed the ruse to access the couple's Queens residence and then set it ablaze.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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McGriff allegedly tried the ruse at a nearby house first but was turned away, Tisch said.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Roberts and Robinson, who federal prosecutors say conducted the scheme over the course of five years, between 2018 and 2023, allegedly stole $900,000 from the court system.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Sep. 2025
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Just look at the offense — more weapons, better scheme, more support.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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So the real trick was creating a hue with blendability that people were willing to reapply.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Luray Caverns feel almost magical—complete with musical instruments built into the walls, mirror-like lakes that play tricks on your eyes, and even a wishing well tucked into the underground pathways.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stratagem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stratagem. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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