as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
I couldn't tell whether her earlier poor-mouthing had been sincere or just a gambit to get me to pick up the dinner check
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Recent Examples of gambit
Ten years after his Trojan horse gambit, Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) washes up on Ithaca and has to get his mind right – and his warrior groove back – for battle as well as a rousing reunion with wife Queen Penelope (Juliette Binoche).
—
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
News Well over 700 homes are eyed for empty land in Alviso
The gambit might be used to fast-track the development of well over 700 homes.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies and the Senate’s proposed tax bill are poised to rewrite the rules of international trade and fiscal policy in ways that could rival Nixon’s bold gambit.
—Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
In a desperate gambit, the Thunderbolts enter The Void itself, and each hero is forced to live out a past trauma or regret – even Bob.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
News Well over 700 homes are eyed for empty land in Alviso
The gambit might be used to fast-track the development of well over 700 homes.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies and the Senate’s proposed tax bill are poised to rewrite the rules of international trade and fiscal policy in ways that could rival Nixon’s bold gambit.
—Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
In a desperate gambit, the Thunderbolts enter The Void itself, and each hero is forced to live out a past trauma or regret – even Bob.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gambit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambit
Noun
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Important claims, like whether or not the Los Angeles wildfires were merely a ruse to hide pedophiles.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
18 May 2025
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But a Southern California man and his co-conspirators devised an elaborate ruse — involving a boatload of fake orders and manipulation of the company’s software — that netted them millions, prosecutors say.—
Kaitlyn Huamani,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Noun
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That includes knowing the scheme in the run game, being violent at the point of attack.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2025
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The scheme was investigated by several federal agencies, including the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Rea allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings, improving to 4-0 with another no-flash performance that did the trick.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 May 2025
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Label tricks, regional cues and color considerations for better picking at the wine shop.—
Rachel King,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gambit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambit. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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