List of 426 Sets of Synonyms - How they Differ - Total of 2307 Words - 21

SYNONYMS: artifice, trick, ruse, wile, feint, stratagem, maneuver, dodge.
These nouns are compared as they denote means for achieving an end by indirection.

Artifice refers to something especially contrived to lead to a desired result or create a desired effect: His sincerity, although often aided by the actor's artifice, seems genuine.
Trick in this sense implies willful deception and often less than honorable motivation: They had all sorts of tricks to prevent us from winning.
Ruse stresses the creation of a false impression: Her pretended deafness was a ruse to enable her to learn their plans.
Wile suggests deceiving and entrapping a victim by playing on his or her weak points: He did not fail to see his uncle's cunning wiles.
Feint denotes a deceptive act calculated to distract attention from one's real purpose: One person bumped into me as a feint while the other stole my wallet.
Stratagem implies careful planning for achieving an objective or obtaining an advantage: You have used a ruthless stratagem to win the promotion.
Maneuver applies to calculated and skillful tactics and often to a single strategic move: They speak of that Reform Bill as if it had been a dishonest maneuver.
Dodge stresses shifty and ingenious deception: 'It was all false, of course?' 'Yes, sir, it was artful dodge.