sleight of hand

noun phrase

1

a

: a cleverly executed trick or deception

b

: a conjuring trick requiring manual dexterity

2

a

: skill and dexterity in conjuring tricks

b

: adroitness in deception

Examples of sleight of hand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

They were promised a story, a fiction, a sleight of hand, a shuffling of letters that altered reality. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024

There’s a sequence near the end that is both graceful and devastating in equal measure, a bit of directorial sleight of hand that aims right for your heart and hits the bull’s-eye. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2024

Watching her play was like watching a musician pull off increasingly sophisticated sleights of hand, but what truly distinguished Williams wasn’t the spectacle of her performance but the clarity of her compositions. —Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024

In this scenario, your AC unit would be engaged in a gentle sleight of hand. —Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

sleight of hand

1

: skill especially in juggling or magic tricks

2

: a magic or juggling trick requiring skill with the hands