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GRE vocabulary

guile

nounHigh-frequency wordMore G words

cunning or clever deceit used to achieve an aim

Word origin: From Old French guile, deceit or trickery.

In a sentence

Guile in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing guile in a sentence.

She relied on guile rather than force, outmaneuvering her competitors through quiet trickery.

She negotiated with such guile that her opponents conceded points they had sworn to defend.

Synonyms
cunningcraftinessdeceitduplicity
Antonyms
Usage & nuance

Using “guile” well

Guile is cunning, crafty deceit used to achieve an aim. The word is generally negative, and its antonym artlessness names the absence of such scheming, an innocent straightforwardness.

Common questions

Questions about “guile

Guile (noun) means cunning or clever deceit used to achieve an aim
Here is guile used in an example sentence: "She relied on guile rather than force, outmaneuvering her competitors through quiet trickery." Another example: "She negotiated with such guile that her opponents conceded points they had sworn to defend."
Common synonyms for guile include cunning, craftiness, deceit, duplicity.
Antonyms of guile include honesty, candor, artlessness.
Clusters with cunning, craftiness, and duplicity, opposed by candor and artlessness. The GRE often signals it through the antonym artlessness, the lack of cunning.
Yes. Guile is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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