Thesaurus results for PLOYS

ploys

noun

plural of ploy

as in ruses

a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end asking me to take her shopping turned out to be a ploy to get me to the surprise party

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in sprees

a time or instance of carefree fun wanted one grand ploy through Europe before settling down and raising a family

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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 ploys Paramount has tried various ploys to put political pressure on Bonta — op-eds, letters from allies, threats to leave California, politicians’ statements — which Bonta has largely brushed off. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026 Lyman Ward played Ferris' dad, whose busy work schedule kept him conveniently distracted from his teenage son's ploys. — Emma Urdangen, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026 No tactical ploys or tweaks could save him. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 25 May 2026 While court orders that block counterfeiters can help to safeguard intellectual property, sometimes those counterfeiters simply turn to other aliases and cybersquatting ploys to continue their activities. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026 After several unsuccessful ploys by his henchmen to save his life — including one that would be attempted post-hanging — Cardinella was down to one last try. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026 There’s the White House and its malicious megaphone of mindlessness; the generative AI advocates and their pushy, pathetic ploys; the Major League Baseball owners and their dedication to self-destruction. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026 Their poverty, the fruit of Salieri’s malicious ploys, tests the limits of their endurance. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026 There are numerous other bold characters getting tangled up in new ploys aimed at giving them a step up in a world that wants to keep them tamped down. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ploys

Noun

There’s a delightful secret history of Hollywood directors whose ruses and stratagems bought them an unusual amount of leeway with their scripts.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
Even before pro-party AI ruses were possible, the Chinese government and its supporters flooded social media with pro-China propaganda and vicious attacks on critics.

— Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026

Definition of ruses

Noun

Others went very practical, like Kelly Rowland’s trip to the supermarket, or embraced their inner child, as Donald Glover and Tiffany Haddish did with their sugar sprees.

— Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
This spring, college hoops teams went on staggering spending sprees, with some individual players set to earn as much as entire teams did a season ago.

— Brendan Marks, New York Times, 26 July 2026

Definition of sprees

Noun

Along the way, there are before-and-after floor plans, garden schemes, and a recipe for Meyers Family Hot Fudge.

— Ingrid Abramovitch, Architectural Digest, 25 Aug. 2026
Their protection schemes might expect edge rushers, but both Van Ginkel and Turner could drift backward, making the interior more susceptible.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of schemes

Noun

Instead, Cramer pointed to Cook's ability to sustain the iPhone's appeal and keep consumers coming back through successive generations of premium devices.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Infecting already compromised devices Research published Monday brings the threat into much clearer view.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of devices

Noun

Cirque du Soleil’s otherworldly adventure, combining high-flying tricks and underwater artistry, has been reimagined in Shared Reality.

— Mary Caldwell, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026
For account takeover, though, getting rid of the six-digit code could take away one of the easiest tricks in a scammer's playbook.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of tricks

Browse Nearby Words

ploy

ploys

pluck

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“Ploys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ploys. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of ploys

noun

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