TRICK Synonyms: 356 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

trick 1 of 3

noun

ˈtrik

Definition of trick

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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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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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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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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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trick

3 of 3

adjective

as in tricky

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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

As for Puzzle Four, Master Sun’s strategy will win, on average, 55 percent of the tricks. — Dana MacKenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026 If that isn’t enough to get collector’s motors running, perhaps a unique titanium Akrivia will do the trick. — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026

Verb

The program is designed to trick North Carolina’s raccoons into taking their medicine with a tasty snack. — Eva Flowe october 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026 The real risk is that a criminal could forge your signature on a deed or trick you into signing paperwork that transfers ownership, then file that document with the local office that maintains property records. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Adjective

As Halloween approaches, investors seem fearful that good credit performance may be more trick than treat. — Telis Demos, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2022 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 See All Example Sentences for trick

Recent Examples of Synonyms for trick

Noun

What about when Carole was hiding in the closet to try to overhear Luann calling her a pedophile, and Jules Wainstein kept trying to ruin her ruse?

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Last-ditch plan for prosecution Authorities next developed what Smallwood described as a last-ditch plan to prosecute Tanzer — a ruse that could catch him lying about the rape.

— Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruse

Noun

The company claimed an unfinished code left in the system, part of a prank, led to the crash.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Orenstein acted and wrote for the CBC variety program The Barris Beat, produced by Norman Jewison, then moved to New York in 1965 and landed on the CBS prank show Candid Camera.

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of prank

Noun

Other amenities include a Wellbeing by Auberge program, complete with thermal rituals, skin therapies, and more luxe treatments rooted in a holistic approach to health and longevity.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Estes said the aqueduct's water was used for both practical and religious purposes, including cleaning up after sacrifices and performing purification rituals at the Temple Mount.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of ritual

Noun

Smith accomplished the feat in nine fewer games than Edwards.

— Mark Long, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
The Panthers became the first team to ever have players turn natural hat tricks — three consecutive goals by one player — in three straight games after Brady Tkachuk achieved the feat in the team’s previous two outings.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of feat

Verb

The evidence does not establish that Claude deliberately set out to deceive investigators.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Until Holmes, the characters in Oppenheim’s documentaries had been relative unknowns — people with far less incentive to deceive him.

— Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of deceive

Adjective

Tech companies like Apple will have to grapple with how their tools work when access to free content gets trickier, and the rest of us may have to get used to paying for recipes again.

— Dominic Preston, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026
One tricky aspect of this approach is that copilots aren’t great at the front end, so UI design and UX still require a lot of polishing and planning from your developers.

— Osman Koc, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of tricky

Browse Nearby Words

trichromatic

trick

tricked

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“Trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trick. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of trick

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adjective

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More from Merriam-Webster on trick

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Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

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Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

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Games & Quizzes