trickery

noun

trick·​ery ˈtri-k(ə-)rē How to pronounce trickery (audio)
: the practice of crafty underhanded ingenuity to deceive or cheat
Choose the Right Synonym for trickery

deception, fraud, double-dealing, subterfuge, trickery mean the acts or practices of one who deliberately deceives.

deception may or may not imply blameworthiness, since it may suggest cheating or merely tactical resource.

magicians are masters of deception

fraud always implies guilt and often criminality in act or practice.

indicted for fraud

double-dealing suggests treachery or at least action contrary to a professed attitude.

a go-between suspected of double-dealing

subterfuge suggests the adoption of a stratagem or the telling of a lie in order to escape guilt or to gain an end.

obtained the papers by subterfuge

trickery implies ingenious acts intended to dupe or cheat.

resorted to trickery to gain their ends

Examples of trickery in a Sentence

He resorted to trickery to get what he wanted. Delia resorted to trickery—even loading up the fishing equipment—to induce her dog into the car for his vet appointment.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Elegant and the users are never cognizant of the under-the-hood trickery. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024 Defenses continue to watch film on Darnold, but O'Connell could draw up some trickery by adding Jones to the mix. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024 Phishing—defined as fraudulent activities that attempt to obtain sensitive information through trickery via emails or websites—is a rampant threat during the holiday season. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024 When the play reaches its climax, a moment of haunted stage trickery that’s supposed to thrill and engage us ends up feeling ungrounded and, in its aftermath, bizarrely underacknowledged. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for trickery 

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trickery was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near trickery

Cite this Entry

“Trickery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trickery. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

trickery

noun
trick·​ery ˈtrik-(ə-)rē How to pronounce trickery (audio)
plural trickeries
: the use of tricks to deceive or cheat

More from Merriam-Webster on trickery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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