1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
used the artifice of saying his grandmother had died so that he could get the last seat on the plane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
using their artifice, the Greeks crafted a hollow wooden horse to hide inside and thereby gained entry into the city of Troy
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in skill
subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something
a painting that could only have been created with the artifice of a master
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a crook who is a master of artifice and manipulation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in treachery
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
he's willing to resort to artifice to get himself out of this jam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 artifice
Burnett’s palm-treed ironic paradise achieves something like Agnès Varda’s gentle blend of reality and artifice — sophistication.
—
Armond White, National Review, 25 June 2025
On the other hand, artistic decisions can easily veer into artifice, like in Lifespan of a Fact.
—Isabel Clara Ruehl
june 16, Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
But this was in many ways a bare-bones show about a world of excess and artifice.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 9 June 2025
More intriguing are threads begging to be teased out about death, rebirth, and artifice.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for artifice
Armond White, National Review, 25 June 2025
On the other hand, artistic decisions can easily veer into artifice, like in Lifespan of a Fact.
—Isabel Clara Ruehl
june 16, Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
But this was in many ways a bare-bones show about a world of excess and artifice.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 9 June 2025
More intriguing are threads begging to be teased out about death, rebirth, and artifice.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for artifice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artifice
Noun
-
No, because the medic — work requirements are a ruse.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
13 July 2025
-
Ben Affleck's Argo is a real film about the ruse of making a fake film to help rescue real-life hostages in Iran.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
22 July 2025
-
Despite being outnumbered 50-to-1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia, The Westies’ legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
But Williams didn’t set a high enough bar in her only skills challenge round.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
19 July 2025
-
As this technology improves, the gap between human skill and robotic precision will continue to shrink.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
Last summer, an exponentially growing audience of fans watched her fall head-over-heels for Brit Aaron Evans, only to be left heartbroken over his deception and sobbing to an entirely too appropriate Sabrina Carpenter song chosen by the show's editors.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
-
Finding The Right Balance The cost of workplace deception is more than just a nasty surprise come employee feedback day.—
Dmitry Malin,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
The six-parter, to debut July 14, follows six groups of friends, and six historical cases of murder and treachery among them.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
19 June 2025
-
But amid the bloodbaths and treacheries, Westeros still penciled in time for a little romance — some more compelling than others (Jon and Ygritte > Jon and Daenerys).—
Tyler Aquilina,
EW.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The scheme requires drivers to pay a fee—based on the time and duration of their visit and their vehicle type—to enter the lower part of Manhattan, from the southern end of Central Park to the city’s financial district.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
-
Singer took in more than $25 million from his clients as part of the scheme, paid bribes totaling more than $7 million and used more than $15 million for his own benefit, according to prosecutors.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
In the 21st century, varying degrees of financial deceit — from the Enron accounting scandal to the devastating consequences of massive Ponzi schemes like the one run by Bernie Madoff — continue to impact people across the country.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
13 July 2025
-
Every fraudulent claim becomes part of the data used to set next year’s rates, creating a feedback loop where today’s deceit has the potential to become tomorrow’s financial burden.—
Paulina Wierzbicka,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
An especially Jewish theme in the seventeenth century was not only the necessity but the dignity of subterfuge; to have lived in the shadows of another people’s empire had a nobility of its own, captured in this exquisite and ambivalent image.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
19 July 2025
-
People generally might not realize the subterfuge at play.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Artifice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artifice. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share