artifice
clever or cunning trickery to deceive
Word origin: From Latin artificium, craftsmanship (ars art plus facere to make).
Artifice in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing artifice in a sentence.
The magician's act relied entirely on artifice and misdirection.
Beneath the painting's apparent spontaneity lay careful artifice, every brushstroke deliberately placed.
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Verbal · Text Completion
The novelist's late style is admired precisely for its blank: every superfluous phrase has been pared away, leaving prose of startling economy.
Using “artifice” well
Artifice denotes clever, often deceptive contrivance, carrying a connotation of trickery or studied artificiality. It can describe both cunning deceit and skillful, calculated craft.
More GRE words starting with A
to lower in rank, dignity, or self-respect
to make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed
to lessen in intensity or amount
to formally give up power or responsibility
departing from what is normal or expected
a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected
a state of temporary suspension or inactivity
to regard with strong disgust or hatred
Questions about “artifice”
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