stratagems
Clever deceptive maneuvers
Stratagems are clever schemes or tricks designed to gain an advantage, especially in war, politics, or competition.
The word implies cunning and careful planning rather than brute force: Military stratagems have decided more battles than superior numbers.
In everyday use, stratagem often carries a slightly negative connotation of deception: His kindness was just a stratagem to win her trust.
Deliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- bluffCalculated false front
deceit · hoax · charade · disguise · masquerade · camouflage · sleight · chicanery
Calculated strategy, often secretive
- blueprintDetailed technical drawing
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- masterstrokeSupremely skillful action
- contingencyUncertain possible event
countermeasure · endgame · fallback · long game · calculated risk · power play · preemptive strike · waiting game
Risky opening for advantage
- zugzwangObligatory weakening move situation
- forkTined eating tool
- pinPointed metal fastener
- skewerPointed cooking rod
sacrifice · fianchetto · tempo · initiative · prophylaxis · overloading · deflection · decoy
At the sides of
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- pincerGrasping claw organ
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- feintDeceptive mock attack
infiltration · siege · guerrilla · blitzkrieg · scorched-earth · counterattack · envelopment · diversion
Sly, strategic dishonesty
- artificeClever deceptive strategy
- wilesDeceptive stratagems
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- schemingCrafty and calculating
shrewdness · subtlety · trickery · deviousness · calculating · conniving · sly · astuteness
ruse
Deliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
bluff · deceit · hoax · charade · disguise · masquerade · camouflage · sleight · chicanery · duplicity
scheme
Calculated strategy, often secretive
- blueprintDetailed technical drawing
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- masterstrokeSupremely skillful action
contingency · countermeasure · endgame · fallback · long game · calculated risk · power play · preemptive strike · waiting game
gambit
Risky opening for advantage
skewer · sacrifice · fianchetto · tempo · initiative · prophylaxis · overloading · deflection · decoy · interference
flanking
At the sides of
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- pincerGrasping claw organ
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
feint · infiltration · siege · guerrilla · blitzkrieg · scorched-earth · counterattack · envelopment · diversion · raid
guile
Sly, strategic dishonesty
- artificeClever deceptive strategy
- wilesDeceptive stratagems
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
scheming · shrewdness · subtlety · trickery · deviousness · calculating · conniving · sly · astuteness · cleverness
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, slyness
- wileswiles, guile, cunning, craftiness, slyness
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- deceptionslie, lies, lying, deceit, decoy
- maneuveringmaneuvering, positioning, steering, repositioning, pivoting
- Ancient Greek warfareAchilles, Hector, Ajax, Odysseus, Agamemnon
stratagemsdirectness
Quality of being straightforward
honesty · candor · straightforwardness · brute force · frontal assault
stratagemsimprovisation
Spontaneous, unplanned creation
spontaneity · winging it · impulsiveness · instinct · impulse