1
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
a shady salesman who usually relies on a combination of quick thinking and guile
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a person so full of guile he can't even be trusted to give you the correct time of day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guile
Getting out doesn’t just require thumb-shredding dexterity, wit, and guile but also — fittingly for its premise — patience.
—
Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
Over time, guile took on the connotation of deceitful cunning in English, emerging in Middle English around the 12th century.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
Runners who lack the speed of the fastest distance runners can compete, using grit and guile to keep up with their faster competitors.
—Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024
But those dying or returning home as amputees are often from a younger generation who value dexterity and guile perhaps more than brute persistence.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 8 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for guile
Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
Over time, guile took on the connotation of deceitful cunning in English, emerging in Middle English around the 12th century.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
Runners who lack the speed of the fastest distance runners can compete, using grit and guile to keep up with their faster competitors.
—Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024
But those dying or returning home as amputees are often from a younger generation who value dexterity and guile perhaps more than brute persistence.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 8 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for guile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guile
Noun
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For Mirren, the cunning and cruelty of Whitfield is a timely example of power corrupting absolutely.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Gilded by privilege and cunning, Glinda is a popular young woman who desires to wield magic.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Tacopina recently appeared on The Breakfast Club to break down key elements of the defense’s strategy in proving Rocky’s innocence, and the plaintiff’s, A$AP Relli, lies and deception.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
25 Feb. 2025
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Today the art world is reeling over not just her deception, but also the stain Ms. Schiff has left on the largely unregulated business of art advising.—
Sarah Maslin Nir,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The exposé marked the beginning of the end for Theranos, as multiple whistleblowers came forward with claims of secrets and deceit.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2025
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Determined to uncover the truth, Min-tae embarks on a relentless pursuit, navigating a web of deceit involving his former crime syndicate and the police.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Sunbeam ultimately filed for bankruptcy and the SEC sued Dunlap and other top executives for engineering a massive accounting fraud.—
Matt Schifrin,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
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For Schomburg, a tale of greed and disregard for the wider population is actually inspiring given the actions of the people who came together to expose the fraud.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guile. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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