ruse

noun

ˈrüs 

ˈrüz

: a wily subterfuge

Choose the Right Synonym for ruse

trick, ruse, stratagem, maneuver, artifice, wile, feint 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

ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

Examples of ruse in a Sentence

His act was just a clever ruse to get me to go out with him.

Recent Examples on the Web

The defense has emphasized that Rao drafted a 2021 letter — ultimately unsent — saying the phone ruse was his alone. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 13 June 2024

But when the ruse fails to trick Gastown’s overseer, Dementus doesn’t hesitate to make the attack look real, killing his own men on the War Rig so that Gastown will believe their truck really is in danger, forcing them to open their gates. —James Grebey, Vulture, 25 May 2024

Unless, of course, the hundreds of airborne weapons were designed to be intercepted, that this was part of an elaborate ruse, a fake-out on an enormous scale. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2024

Lulu Wang's, The Farewell is based on her family's decision in 2013 to shield her grandmother from tragic news and devise an elaborate ruse that's both poignant and darkly comic. —Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, roundabout path taken by fleeing game, trickery, from reuser

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ruse

noun

ˈrüs 

ˈrüz

: a clever way to fool someone : trick

Geographical Definition

Ruse

geographical name

Ru·​se ˈrü-(ˌ)sā 

variants or Turkish Ruschuk

ru̇s-ˈchük 

city in northeastern Bulgaria on the Danube River south of Bucharest population 148,500