trick
1 of 3noun
ˈtrik 
1
a
: a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud
b
: a mischievous act : prank
c
: a deceptive, dexterous, or ingenious feat
especially : one designed to puzzle or amuse
a juggler's tricks
d
: an indiscreet or childish action
2
a(1)
: a quick or artful way of getting a result : knack
the trick is to make it look natural
(2)
: an instance of getting a desired result
one small adjustment will do the trick
b
: a technical device (as of an art or craft)
the tricks of stage technique
3
a
: a delusive appearance especially when caused by art or legerdemain : an optical illusion
a mere trick of the light
b
: a habitual peculiarity of behavior or manner
a horse with the trick of shying
c
: a characteristic and identifying feature
a trick of speech
4
: the cards played in one round of a card game often used as a scoring unit
5
a
: a sexual act performed by a prostitute
turning tricks
also : john sense 2
b
: shift sense 4b(1)
c
: a trip taken as part of one's employment
d
: a turn of duty at the helm usually lasting for two hours
6
: an attractive child or woman
a cute little trick
trick
2 of 3verb
tricked; tricking; tricks
transitive verb
: to deceive by cunning or artifice : cheat see also trick out
trick
3 of 3adjective
1
a
: of or relating to or involving tricks or trickery
trick photography
trick dice
b
: skilled in or used for tricks
a trick horse
2
a
: somewhat defective and unreliable
a trick lock
b
: inclined to give way unexpectedly
a trick knee
3
: trig
Synonyms
Noun
- artifice
- device
- dodge
- fetch
- flimflam
- gambit
- gimmick
- jig
- juggle
- knack
- play
- ploy
- ruse
- scheme
- shenanigan
- sleight
- stratagem
- wile
Verb
- bamboozle
- beguile
- bluff
- buffalo
- burn
- catch
- con
- cozen
- deceive
- delude
- dupe
- fake out
- fool
- gaff
- gammon
- gull
- have
- have on [chiefly British]
- hoax
- hoodwink
- hornswoggle
- humbug
- juggle
- misguide
- misinform
- mislead
- snooker
- snow
- spoof
- string along
- suck in
- sucker
- take in
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun It was a trick to persuade her to give him money. She enjoys playing tricks on her friends. For his last trick, the magician made a rabbit disappear. Verb He tricked her by wearing a disguise. you tricked me into thinking my ex wasn't coming to the party tonight Adjective a trick shot in pool He has a trick knee. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Jason Gay, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Its sincerest, grandest trick is in giving us a heroine who only seems to need to grow up more than everyone else. K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2022 For whatever reason, this new one is attracted to the scrubby valley where O.J. and Emerald dwell, concealing itself inside a motionless cloud or, for its next trick, scooting hither and thither through the sky. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 22 July 2022 Plug in lights and prepare to amaze your trick-or-treaters. Charlyne Mattox, Country Living, 15 July 2022 Come cookout season, her hamburger buns are my back-pocket trick: suspiciously simple, and everyone freaks out about them. The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appétit, 8 July 2022 Some of these are healthier appetizers that use fruit and veggies for creepy results can even be used as non-candy treats for your trick-or-treaters! Lauren Matthews And Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 21 June 2022 His trick to tackle the difficult task was kneading the material into petals and then freezing them. Antonia Debianchi, PEOPLE.com, 9 June 2022 Kelly Mariani, my friend and chef at Scribe, taught me her trick of also adding in avocado. Colu Henry, Vogue, 26 May 2022 Nevin Martell, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 Or, gift it as-is for a fun pastime between handing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. Kaitlin Madden, Good Housekeeping, 1 June 2022 Local businesses will be lined up along the road to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters in their vehicles during Trunk or Treat. Kimi Robinson, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2021 Favorite ways to celebrate include: handing out candy to trick-or-treaters (66%), decorating the house (52%), wearing costumes (46%), carving a pumpkin (44%), hosting or going to a party (25%). Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 22 Sep. 2021 That includes banning lookalike apps that try to trick people into downloading them, removing vaccine misinformation, and limiting full-screen ads in apps. Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 In a false-positive adversarial attack, the wrongdoer would try to trick the ML/DL into computationally calculating that a Stop sign exists even when there isn’t a Stop sign present. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 May 2022 But it was tacked onto an otherwise mostly blissfully silly movie, the way an enterprising parent might try to trick their children into eating vegetables by sneaking puréed carrots into mac and cheese. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 22 Dec. 2021 From the inane ploys to try and trick you — an Obamacare offer! Andy Meek, BGR, 7 July 2022 Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021 And arguably, given the variety of cask types used by the distillery, Angel’s Envy is actually a multi-trick pony. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 June 2021 The ‘00s are cool again, right? (Trick question: They, like Britney, have always been cool.) Kara Nesvig, Allure, 23 June 2017 See More
Noun
The Cardinals should do their usual trick of flying out of the gate early and sputtering to the finish. Jason Gay, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Its sincerest, grandest trick is in giving us a heroine who only seems to need to grow up more than everyone else. K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2022 For whatever reason, this new one is attracted to the scrubby valley where O.J. and Emerald dwell, concealing itself inside a motionless cloud or, for its next trick, scooting hither and thither through the sky. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 22 July 2022 Plug in lights and prepare to amaze your trick-or-treaters. Charlyne Mattox, Country Living, 15 July 2022 Come cookout season, her hamburger buns are my back-pocket trick: suspiciously simple, and everyone freaks out about them. The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appétit, 8 July 2022 Some of these are healthier appetizers that use fruit and veggies for creepy results can even be used as non-candy treats for your trick-or-treaters! Lauren Matthews And Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 21 June 2022 His trick to tackle the difficult task was kneading the material into petals and then freezing them. Antonia Debianchi, PEOPLE.com, 9 June 2022 Kelly Mariani, my friend and chef at Scribe, taught me her trick of also adding in avocado. Colu Henry, Vogue, 26 May 2022 Verb
Hanging a mirror on a wall or fence, or on the side of the house or shed, can trick the eye into thinking there’s more space. Nevin Martell, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 Or, gift it as-is for a fun pastime between handing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. Kaitlin Madden, Good Housekeeping, 1 June 2022 Local businesses will be lined up along the road to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters in their vehicles during Trunk or Treat. Kimi Robinson, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2021 Favorite ways to celebrate include: handing out candy to trick-or-treaters (66%), decorating the house (52%), wearing costumes (46%), carving a pumpkin (44%), hosting or going to a party (25%). Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 22 Sep. 2021 That includes banning lookalike apps that try to trick people into downloading them, removing vaccine misinformation, and limiting full-screen ads in apps. Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 In a false-positive adversarial attack, the wrongdoer would try to trick the ML/DL into computationally calculating that a Stop sign exists even when there isn’t a Stop sign present. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 May 2022 But it was tacked onto an otherwise mostly blissfully silly movie, the way an enterprising parent might try to trick their children into eating vegetables by sneaking puréed carrots into mac and cheese. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 22 Dec. 2021 From the inane ploys to try and trick you — an Obamacare offer! Andy Meek, BGR, 7 July 2022 Adjective
If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house. Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021 And arguably, given the variety of cask types used by the distillery, Angel’s Envy is actually a multi-trick pony. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 June 2021 The ‘00s are cool again, right? (Trick question: They, like Britney, have always been cool.) Kara Nesvig, Allure, 23 June 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English trikke, from Anglo-French *trik, from trikier to deceive, cheat, from Vulgar Latin *triccare, alteration of Latin tricari to behave evasively, shuffle, from tricae complications, trifles
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1631, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing trick
Kids Definition
trick 1 of 3
noun
ˈtrik
1
: an action intended to deceive or cheat
2
: a mischievous act : prank
3
: an action designed to puzzle or amuse
a card trick
Mouse was trying to teach me a new yo-yo trick … Judy Blume, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
Judy Blume, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great4
: a quick or clever way of doing something
I know a trick for remembering names.
5
: the cards played in one round of a game
trick
2 of 3verb
tricked; tricking
: to deceive with tricks
trick
3 of 3adjective
: relating to or involving actions intended to deceive or puzzle
We scored a touchdown on a trick play.
trick 1 of 3
noun
1
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end her husband used every trick in the book to get out of appearing in his parish's fashion show Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- ruse
- scheme
- device
- ploy
- stratagem
- knack
- gambit
- gimmick
- dodge
- wile
- jig
- sleight
- fetch
- trickery
- juggle
- shenanigan
- flimflam
- bluff
- play
- deception
- cunning
- subterfuge
- sleight of hand
- hoax
- artifice
- feint
- swindle
- end run
- legerdemain
- cheating
- jugglery
- dupery
- swindling
- duplicity
- fakery
- cozenage
- gaff
- chicanery
- sham
- skulduggery
- skullduggery
- fraud
- blind
- craft
- front
- crookery
- smoke screen
2
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke thought that gluing the silver dollar to the floor and watching him struggle to pick it up would be a good trick Synonyms & Similar Words
- prank
- experience
- shine(s)
- practical joke
- joking
- gag
- adventure
- caper
- escapade
- time
- antic
- game
- kidding
- knavery
- feat
- capriccio
- shavie
- rag
- stunt
- monkeyshine(s)
- roguery
- waggery
- frolic
- dido
- ploy
- play
- performance
- jest
- lark
- trickery
- ruse
- deed
- maneuver
- gambit
- hoax
- stratagem
- tomfoolery
- fooling
- hijinks
- teasing
- subterfuge
- shenanigan(s)
- high jinks
- deception
- mission
- skylarking
- roughhousing
- wile
- horseplay
- hoodwinking
- rowdyism
- fancy
- whim
- whimsy
- vagary
- deceit
- whimsey
- delusion
- conceit
- sham
- fraud
- caprice
- hanky-panky
3
as in ritual
a usual manner of behaving or doing that deadbeat is up to his usual tricks: once again he's claiming the check is in the mail Synonyms & Similar Words
- ritual
- way
- habit
- practice
- custom
- wont
- tendency
- routine
- pattern
- practise
- second nature
- turn
- use
- fashion
- inclination
- addiction
- style
- mode
- bag
- habitude
- set
- bent
- convention
- characteristic
- proclivity
- trait
- manners
- drill
- usage
- disposition
- pose
- quirk
- groove
- attribute
- regime
- affectation
- rut
- rote
- peculiarity
- form
- regimen
- deportment
- oddity
- tic
- tenor
- singularity
- mores
- kink
- airs
- jog trot
- eccentricity
- mark
- régime
4
as in feat
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness it'd be quite a trick to hit that target from here Synonyms & Similar Words
- feat
- stunt
- deed
- exploit
- achievement
- success
- tour de force
- performance
- coup
- triumph
- number
- accomplishment
- adventure
- attainment
5
as in trait
an odd or peculiar habit a dog with the trick of eating cabbage Synonyms & Similar Words
- trait
- twist
- characteristic
- quirk
- mannerism
- habit
- peculiarity
- quip
- idiosyncrasy
- oddity
- tic
- singularity
- kink
- eccentricity
- curiosity
- crotchet
- attribute
- way
- practice
- erraticism
- quiddity
- tendency
- individualism
- pattern
- affectation
- wont
- attitude
- property
- character
- custom
- practise
- personality
- addiction
- airs
- genius
- bent
- turn
- weirdness
- predilection
- penchant
- propensity
- proclivity
- perversion
- mark
- inclination
- humor
- abnormality
- leaning
- identity
- predisposition
- disposition
- temperament
- nature
- partiality
- neuroticism
- individuality
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- conformity
- sameness
trick
2 of 3verb
as in to fool
to cause to believe what is untrue you tricked me into thinking my ex wasn't coming to the party tonight Synonyms & Similar Words
- fool
- deceive
- tease
- sucker
- kid
- dupe
- hoax
- mislead
- catch
- cheat
- delude
- bamboozle
- con
- spoof
- hoodwink
- gaff
- humbug
- bluff
- beguile
- sting
- juggle
- misinform
- have
- suck in
- gull
- take in
- cozen
- misguide
- burn
- snow
- have on
- snooker
- hornswoggle
- fake out
- string along
- buffalo
- stick
- gammon
- pull one's leg
- swindle
- do a number on
- lead one up the garden path
- lead one down the garden path
- flimflam
- defraud
- put on
- pull the wool over one's eyes
- shortchange
- fleece
- squeeze
- diddle
- hustle
- euchre
- bleed
- rook
- chisel
- skin
- mulct
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reveal
- expose
- tell
- uncover
- undeceive
- unmask
- debunk
- divulge
- disclose
- show up
- unveil
- disabuse
- uncloak
- disillusion
- disenchant
trick
3 of 3adjective
as in tricky
Synonyms & Similar Words
- tricky
- sneaky
- cunning
- wily
- sly
- subtle
- crafty
- deceiving
- misleading
- underhanded
- deceptive
- sneaking
- trickish
- slick
- artful
- devious
- shifty
- foxy
- underhand
- subtile
- beguiling
- guileful
- fallacious
- deluding
- deceitful
- wrong
- specious
- perplexing
- lying
- confounding
- puzzling
- delusive
- distracting
- shady
- dissembling
- incorrect
- delusory
- bewildering
- inaccurate
- fraudulent
- false
- knavish
- insidious
- defrauding
- mendacious
- dishonest
- untrustworthy
- duplicitous
- bogus
- fake
- sham
- feigned
- jive
- ambidextrous
- perfidious
- phony
- counterfeit
- crooked
- treacherous
- forged
- faithless
- spurious
- fast
- untruthful
- ambiguous
- evasive
- double-dealing
- phoney
- hypocritical
- backhanded
- insincere
- artificial
- circuitous
- equivocal
- two-faced
- left-handed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- straightforward
- direct
- open
- plain
- straight
- forthright
- nondeceptive
- aboveboard
- illuminating
- frank
- explanatory
- candid
- clarifying
- revealing
- outspoken
- plainspoken
- openhearted
- revelatory
- foursquare
- trustworthy
- elucidative
- honest
- truthful
- free-spoken
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of trick are artifice, feint, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, and wile. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.
the tricks of the trade
Although the words artifice and trick have much in common, artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.
the clever artifices of the stage
The words feint and trick can be used in similar contexts, but feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.
a feint toward the enemy's left flank
While in some cases nearly identical to trick, maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.
last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy
While the synonyms ruse and trick are close in meaning, ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.
the ruses of smugglers
In some situations, the words stratagem and trick are roughly equivalent. However, stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.
the stratagem-filled game
The meanings of wile and trick largely overlap; however, wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.
used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself