stratagem

noun

strat·​a·​gem ˈstra-tə-jəm How to pronounce stratagem (audio)
-ˌjem
1
a
: an artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy
b
: a cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end
2
: skill in ruses or trickery

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A stratagem is any clever scheme—sometimes one that's part of an overall strategy (i.e., a carefully worked out plan of action). The word stratagem entered English in the 15th century and was originally used in reference to some artifice, such as a military plan or maneuver, which was designed to deceive or outwit the enemy. This military sense can be traced back to the word's Greek ancestor stratēgēma, which is itself based on stratēgein, meaning "to act as a general." Stratēgein, in turn, comes from stratēgos (meaning "general"), which comes from stratos ("camp" or "army") and agein ("to lead"). Stratēgos is an ancestor of strategy as well.

Choose the Right Synonym for stratagem

trick, ruse, stratagem, maneuver, artifice, wile, feint 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

ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

Examples of stratagem in a Sentence

tried various stratagems to get the cat into the carrier, but the feisty feline was wise to them all
Recent Examples on the Web Sociology is simply a bullet point in political stratagems seeking to dismantle American institutions from the inside out. Carol J. Petty, Baltimore Sun, 2 Feb. 2024 Palestinians have also been the victims of another, much more sinister stratagem—their deliberate dehumanization. Laila El-Haddad, The New Republic, 1 Nov. 2023 The football stratagem is seen as a one-time-only maneuver made due to extraordinary circumstances. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Sep. 2023 Historians and human rights activists, however, said that for decades, with Mr. Mandela languishing as a prisoner of conscience, Mr. Buthelezi amplified his power with devious stratagems. Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2023 Historians and human rights activists, however, said that for decades, as Mandela languished as a prisoner of conscience, Buthelezi amplified his power with devious stratagems. Robert D. McFadden, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023 Lunch with an older friend prompts a writer to try some seemingly outdated stratagems for attracting a mate. Rebecca Anne Nguyen, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2023 Yet Western officials see a more fundamental stratagem at work, an alternative mode of aggression to supplement the Russian military’s shortcomings. Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2023 One possible stratagem shared with IEEE Spectrum by a senior nuclear safety expert would be to constrain the plant’s links to the power grid. IEEE Spectrum, 7 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stratagem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian stratagemma, from Latin strategema, from Greek stratēgēma, from stratēgein to be a general, maneuver, from stratēgos general, from stratos camp, army (akin to Latin stratus, past participle, spread out) + agein to lead — more at stratum, agent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of stratagem was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near stratagem

Cite this Entry

“Stratagem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stratagem. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stratagem

noun
strat·​a·​gem ˈstrat-ə-jəm How to pronounce stratagem (audio)
1
: a trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy
2
: a clever trick or scheme

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