ruse
Crafty misleading scheme
A ruse is a clever trick or deception designed to mislead someone: The phone call was just a ruse to get him out of the house.
The word suggests cunning and deliberate misdirection rather than outright lying—a stratagem that exploits someone's assumptions or expectations.
Calculated strategy, often secretive
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
- tacticPlanned action for advantage
artifice · device · contrivance · wile · machination · expedient · intrigue · plot
Deceptive mock attack
- bluffCalculated false front
- distractionThing diverting one's attention
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
misdirection · red herring · camouflage · cover · blind · pretense · simulation · posturing
Deliberate deception for effect
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- conArgument against
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- shamFraudulent imitation
subterfuge · dupery · artifice · duplicity · imposture · counterfeit · falsity · deceit
Sly, strategic dishonesty
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
- shrewdnessKeen practical judgment
foxiness · artfulness · cleverness · deviousness · scheming · conniving · stealth · underhandedness
scheme
Calculated strategy, often secretive
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
tactic · artifice · device · contrivance · wile · machination · expedient · intrigue · plot · trick
feint
Deceptive mock attack
- bluffCalculated false front
- distractionThing diverting one's attention
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
smokescreen · misdirection · red herring · camouflage · cover · blind · pretense · simulation · posturing · false trail
hoax
Deliberate deception for effect
sham · subterfuge · dupery · artifice · duplicity · imposture · counterfeit · falsity · deceit · trickery
guile
Sly, strategic dishonesty
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
shrewdness · foxiness · artfulness · cleverness · deviousness · scheming · conniving · stealth · underhandedness · insidiousness
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, slyness
- cunning tacticscunning, guile, ploy, stratagem, gambit
- deceptionslie, lies, lying, deceit, decoy
- prankspranks, prank calls, prank call, prank video, practical jokes
- surprise partiesguest of honor, secrecy, jumping out, shushing, shock
rusehonesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
truth · candor · sincerity · truthfulness · forthrightness
rusedirectness
Quality of being straightforward
straightforwardness · bluntness · direct action · fair play · square dealing