trick 1 of 3

noun

ˈtrik How to pronounce trick (audio)
Definition of tricknext
1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end her husband used every trick in the book to get out of appearing in his parish's fashion show

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2
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke thought that gluing the silver dollar to the floor and watching him struggle to pick it up would be a good trick

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3
as in ritual
a usual manner of behaving or doing that deadbeat is up to his usual tricks: once again he's claiming the check is in the mail

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4
as in feat
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness it'd be quite a trick to hit that target from here

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5
as in trait
an odd or peculiar habit a dog with the trick of eating cabbage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trick

2 of 3

verb

as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue you tricked me into thinking my ex wasn't coming to the party tonight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trick

3 of 3

adjective

as in tricky

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of trick are artifice, feint, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, and wile. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

When could artifice be used to replace trick?

Although the words artifice and trick have much in common, artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When would feint be a good substitute for trick?

The words feint and trick can be used in similar contexts, but feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

In what contexts can maneuver take the place of trick?

While in some cases nearly identical to trick, maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

When can ruse be used instead of trick?

While the synonyms ruse and trick are close in meaning, ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

When is it sensible to use stratagem instead of trick?

In some situations, the words stratagem and trick 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 wile a more appropriate choice than trick?

The meanings of wile and trick largely overlap; however, wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

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 trick
Noun
From afar, this may seem tough to achieve, the sort of magic trick only a pastry chef could accomplish. —Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Feb. 2026 Skiiers also perform tricks coming off two jumps — one near the top of the course and another further down. —Nbc News, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
The group is known for phishing and vishing attacks, where attackers impersonate IT or support staff to trick employees into handing over access. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026 But a new study suggests that, in certain organs, tumors actively communicate with the brain to trick it into protecting them. —Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house. —Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021 And arguably, given the variety of cask types used by the distillery, Angel’s Envy is actually a multi-trick pony. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 June 2021 See All Example Sentences for trick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trick
  1. ruse
  2. prank
  3. ritual
  4. feat
  5. trait
  6. deceive
  7. tricky
  8. scheme
Noun
  • Because telling Starfleet that the Furies are part Lynar, and particularly susceptible to high sonic frequencies, is just an ingenious ruse.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders said at trial that the custody exchange on the day of the shooting was a ruse for Payne to talk his way back into Lane's life.
    — Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of ruse
Noun
  • Broken eggs placed in bed as a prank are an excuse for Heathcliff to let the goo drip suggestively across his calloused hand.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Years of insults and diss tracks and pranks and social media posts have followed, with small islands of peace floating by from time to time.
    — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of prank
Noun
  • The Spa’s Herb Garden taps the island’s organic bounty, growing plants used in treatments, rituals, and teas.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
  • In one, second-generation immigrant Gloria (Katy Correa) returns to her father’s home village in rural Guinea-Bissau for a traditional memorial ritual to mark the old man’s recent passing, and to introduce her twentysomething daughter Nour (D’Johé Kouadio) to her ancestral motherland.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • Until Farquharson's feat, Erin Hamlin was the last American to earn a bronze medal, doing so at the 2014 Sochi Games.
    — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Instead of people remembering Monday night’s tilt for the Hornets’ chance to equal a feat that had only been accomplished once in franchise history, a third-quarter scrum and the ejection of coach Charles Lee headlined their 110-104 defeat to the Detroit Pistons at Spectrum Center.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of feat
Noun
  • Chemistry, timing, shared experiences, and the slow work of falling in love with someone tend to matter far more than the traits that some people screen for on a dating-app profile.
    — Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The two traits that will serve Riojas well are accountability and resilience.
    — Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of trait
Verb
  • Neglecting The Kitchen Sink Your sink may look spick-and-span, but looks can be deceiving.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2026
  • But a superficial comparison between Delta, United, and American across certain headline metrics can be deceiving.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of deceive
Adjective
  • The heavy snow led to a tricky morning of racing.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
  • The village is also looking to increase housing stock – always a tricky feat for a landlocked municipality.
    — Igor Studenkov, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of tricky
Noun
  • Those affected by the scheme can visit Agridime’s website to see how the company is handling investors’ claims.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Jane Doe alleged that in 2013, Epstein’s associates directed her to open a Bank of America account as part of a scheme to deceive immigration officials.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of scheme

Phrases Containing trick

Browse Nearby Words

trichromatic
trick
tricked
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Cite this Entry

“Trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trick. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trick

Nglish: Translation of trick for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trick

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