as in ruses
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
had to use all of her wiles to convince her guests to stay for dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in charms
to attract or delight as if by magic
her stories of the Old South could wile anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of wiles
Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
That Hedda has forged such a life for herself is a testament to her wiles — no one is more adept at delivering acidic barbs cloaked by a friendly hand on the shoulder.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 28 Oct. 2025
Seeing Laura’s discomfort with her, Cherry employs her feminine wiles to cause a fracture in Laura and Daniel’s connection.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
Determined to find their way back to their humans, the wise Shadow, the sarcastic Sassy, and the impulsive Chance attempt to navigate their way home using only their wiles and each other.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for wiles
Noun
-
The New York Colored American reported that some offers of short-term work for Black men — moving livestock to or from Kentucky, for example — were ruses that ended with kidnappings.—
-
Many suspect a spam call and don't pick up the phone, leading foundation staff to sometimes devise ruses.—
Verb
-
Although there may not be snow on the ground, the area still charms with its Alpine vistas, green meadows, and waterfalls, such as Staubbach Falls, the third-highest waterfall in Switzerland.—
-
Yerin Ha joins the cast as Sophie, a maid who charms the noble Benedict.—
Noun
-
The 40-year-old cooks up ways to make quarterbacks miserable in his sleep, devising schemes that are meant to lure as much as they are intended to confuse.—
-
More than 90 people, most with ties to the state’s Somali community, have been charged in fraud schemes targeting social services.—
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
-
Every year, the actor surprises and delights us with her choice of costume, paying homage to Pamela Anderson one year and channeling Queen Amidala the next.—
Noun
-
Travel safer and smarter in 2026 by stocking up on these 15 best personal safety devices for hotel rooms, Airbnbs, and even your own home.—
-
Some brands, like Déesse, share before-and-after imagery of people who’ve used their devices consistently over weeks or months.—
Verb
-
Then there’s the story of life, which also really fascinates me.—
-
Kafka’s work still fascinates readers — like Polish filmmaking legend Holland.—
Noun
-
There is no one organizational system that fits every family and lifestyle, but there are some tips and tricks that help.—
-
So what are their go-to tricks for creating a space worth hibernating in?—
Verb
-
The one who interests me most is midfielder Ruben Neves.—
-
That always interests me in terms of fun facts or conversation starters for Karen Wheeler.—
Cite this Entry
“Wiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wiles. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
