1
as in ruses
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
her husband used every trick in the book to get out of appearing in his parish's fashion show
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2
as in pranks
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
thought that gluing the silver dollar to the floor and watching him struggle to pick it up would be a good trick
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3
as in rituals
a usual manner of behaving or doing
that deadbeat is up to his usual tricks: once again he's claiming the check is in the mail
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4
as in feats
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness
it'd be quite a trick to hit that target from here
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5
as in traits
an odd or peculiar habit
a dog with the trick of eating cabbage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fools
to cause to believe what is untrue
you tricked me into thinking my ex wasn't coming to the party tonight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tricks
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 10 Jan. 2026
So what are their go-to tricks for creating a space worth hibernating in?
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
One of the oldest tricks in the book for elongating your legs is opting for a neutral shoe that matches your skin tone.
—Shelby Comroe, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
The community boasts 12,000 members, with people sharing pictures of their respective journals and different tips and tricks.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Jones says there are plenty of tricks in an architect’s toolkit to assist the atmosphere in bigger, newer stands.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
The ski area also features as many as seven terrain parks for jumps and tricks.
—Mark Billingsley, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Aspiring clawmasters share tips and tricks online.
—Anna Rahmanan, thehustle.co, 9 Jan. 2026
The bag of tricks–Ikue Mori sample-trigger rituals, Orange Milk-adjacent MIDI choir theatrics, Valentina Magaletti kitchen-sink drum thwacking, dubby Sun Araw haze–is endless, but cohesive.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
This tricks incoming missiles into targeting the decoy instead of the actual jet.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
The dark color of the dress also tricks the eye into seeing a longer, cleaner look.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Nov. 2025
Mulching too early traps heat and tricks plant roots to remain active and produce new growth.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
An unexpected, shocking tax bill owed after a scammer tricks you into draining a retirement fund to hand over your money to them.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Mykal-Michelle Harris from Raven’s Home guest-stars as Ruby, a mischievous moon imp who tricks Vee.
—Allison McClain Merrill, Parents, 27 Oct. 2025
Still, nothing tricks us into the spirit of autumn quite like scent.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 1 Oct. 2025
The interference has included both jamming—overpowering communications with strong radio signals—and spoofing, which tricks receivers into misreading their location or even the time.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
There is no one organizational system that fits every family and lifestyle, but there are some tips and tricks that help.
—Verb
One of the dangers of the Midwestern climate is a late-winter warm spell that thaws the soil and tricks bulbs and other plants into sprouting too early.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricks
Noun
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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.—
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Many suspect a spam call and don't pick up the phone, leading foundation staff to sometimes devise ruses.—
Noun
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CrowdStrike senior vice president of counter adversary Adam Meyers told Fortune these techniques have been honed after years of escalating pranks in video game spaces.—
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Tucker, Connor and Carson began rising to TikTok fame in 2019 with their viral videos featuring lifestyle content, family pranks, comedy skits and food and sports challenges.—
Noun
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Homeowners continue to seek more personalized enhancements that support both entertaining needs and everyday rituals.—
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Think spa-like spaces that cater to your individual rituals, preferences and self-care routines, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s 2026 Bath Trends report.—
Noun
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Yet, Thursday, from his sideline perch in Pasadena, Saban watched Cignetti's team hand Alabama, 38-3, its most lopsided postseason loss in school history to continue one of the most remarkable coaching feats in college football history.—
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This ridiculous man, who seems to value nothing besides flattery and personal enrichment, has achieved in mere months feats of which the conservative movement has dreamed for a lifetime.—
Noun
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What traits, decisions, or misfortunes exceed a person’s jurisdiction?—
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The new 2026 version refines those traits but adds a number of performance-enhancing design features.—
Noun
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Samsung says the sensor targets users who want professional-grade imaging from mobile devices.—
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Speaking to gadgets is often faster than typing, but Amazon and Nirva also see their devices as another means to gather data that can provide insights about a user’s life, though doing so will surely raise privacy concerns.—
Noun
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Like most fiction, it’s made up of experiences, imagination, ideas, memories, emotions, speculation, knowledge and research.—
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But most of my energy is spent getting our family through the day and fighting for all of my kids to have equal access to life’s experiences.—
Noun
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Kight said some simple habits can help prevent kitchen fires from starting in the first place.—
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Many of my clients still need to plan meals, track intake, work with a dietitian, build habits, and stay active to reach their goals.—
Cite this Entry
“Tricks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricks. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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