English vocabulary · B2
Ruse
/ruːz/ · n.
It means a clever trick used to make someone believe something that is not true.
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Example sentences
- His story about car trouble was a ruse to skip work.
- She used a ruse to get past the front desk.
Word origin and roots
from Old French
- ruser — to dodge (from Old French)
Synonyms and nuances
- trick (using deception to fool someone)
- ploy (using a calculated move to gain advantage)
- deceit (hiding truth to mislead others)
Lesson notes
Ruse. It means a clever trick used to make someone believe something that is not true. You do it to get what you want.
Similar words are trick, ploy, and deceit. Use ruse when someone plans a clever false story to get what they want.
His story about car trouble was a ruse to skip work. She used a ruse to get past the front desk.
From Old French. Ruser means to dodge. A move that sends you back the wrong way — that clever dodge is a ruse.